My “Why” is to empower you to survive, heal, and thrive
I’m a licensed psychotherapist, consultant, and speaker based in California. Having immigrated to the United States at the age of 11 with my widowed father, I emerged as a trailblazer within my family — the eldest daughter amongst five siblings, the first to graduate college as a low-income student, and the only licensed DACA recipient AAPI therapist. It is the intersectionality of my cultural identity and enriching lived experiences that fuel my passion for the mental health field.
I received my bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley and my Master of Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in community mental health from CSU East Bay. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I actively dedicated myself to serving various underrepresented communities of color since 2010. As a trauma-informed provider, I utilize interventions tailored to your individual needs, drawing from my 10 years of experience in school settings, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and a non-profit organization for formerly homeless families in San Francisco. I also partner with Asian Mental Health Collective as a Lotus Therapy Fund provider, making psychotherapy more accessible and approachable for the Asian community.
Beyond providing individual therapy, I collaborate with local and national organizations across the United States to facilitate mental wellness workshops and support groups. I’m honored to serve as an executive board member for the Close the Gap Foundation, contributing to the healing and empowerment of first-generation/low-income high school students in higher education.
In addition to my private practice, I’m a full-time Mental Health Clinician in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinics at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.
In my spare time, I enjoy learning Spanish on Duolingo, cooking Vietnamese food, going to the gym, and spending time outdoors.
Hi there! I’m Huyen “Kiki” Vo (She/Her).
“I am because we are.”
––The African Philosophy of Ubuntu
Approaches & Values
Trauma-informed
An understanding that a traumatic experience/event can rewire your brain and nervous system. It can impact your ability to manage life stressors, regulate emotions effectively, feel safe in your own body, and build trusting relationships with yourself and others.
Cultural Affirming
An awareness that your socioeconomic background, migration history, and ethnic/racial/cultural identity play an important role in influencing how safe you may feel in the world. I’m committed to meeting you where you are in your healing journey while considering the different systems and barriers that might perpetuate psychological distress and harm.
Community Care
The notion that people can heal people. We are wired for connection and our existence is interdependent.
Authenticity
An invitation to come as you are in our therapeutic work together. All parts of you are welcome here- to be honored, supported, seen, and validated.
Featured In
“Reclaiming Your Power After Trauma”
Kiki had the honor of being featured on the cover of the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors’ Burn Support Magazine (Issue 1, 2021). In her article, she shared with the burn community different effective strategies that have helped her survive and cope with the physical and emotional scars from the burn trauma.
Please click on the image to read the article.
“Panel Discussion: The Power of Stories & Shared Experiences”
On this Tiramisu Talks via Tiramisu App, Kiki had the opportunity to dive into some of the questions below:
1) How does sharing the unspoken, uncomfortable, and maybe even painful parts of your life help to build confidence?
2) What role do stories and shared experiences play in building resilience?
3) How does it help to share, how does it help to listen?
4) How can we make sharing and acceptance a more widespread part of our culture?
“Social Worker Overcomes Trauma, Grief, and Injury to Pursue Her Dream Career”
“Social work breaks barriers” is how the National Association of Social Workers describes the profession, as the organization commemorates Social Work Month in March. The association credits social workers with empowering people for more than a century to overcome challenges so they can live to their fullest potential.
My personal experiences have enhanced my ability to be a competent social worker,” she said. “I can often understand the full psychosocial picture of what these young people are going through. I strive to create a safe space and lead with empathy and compassion in each of my encounters with patients. I can listen and advocate for them, drawing them out to discuss how they’re feeling without judgment.”
Click the photo to read the full article.
Kiki shares her journey of immigrating to the U.S. as a burn survivor from Vietnam. She navigates the traumas associated with poverty, language barriers, cultural shock, hospitalizations, and living undocumented. She hopes to empower others to continue fighting and know that they are not alone in their healing journey
ImmigrAsians: Huyen “Kiki” Vo
Huyen “Kiki” Vo: The Truth About Living with Physical and Emotional Scars
This episode of HUMAN First highlights resiliency as demonstrated by Kiki and her lived experiences. Kiki discusses the effects of physical and emotional scars, tips to build back confidence after experiencing trauma, and her three Cs––curiosity cultivates connection.
