My “Why” is to empower you to survive, heal, and thrive
I’m a licensed psychotherapist, consultant, and speaker based in California. After immigrating to the United States at age 11 with my widowed father, I became a trailblazer in my family. As the eldest daughter of five siblings, I was the first to graduate from college as a low-income student and the only licensed DACAmented AAPI therapist. The intersection of my cultural identity and enriching lived experiences fuels my mission to empower individuals not only to survive and heal but to thrive in life.
I earned 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. As a trauma-informed and anti-oppressive therapist, I tailor interventions to individual needs, drawing from my lived experiences and over a decade of work in school settings, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and non-profit organizations. I’m honored to partner with the Asian Mental Health Collective as a Lotus Therapy Fund provider, helping make 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 pleased to partner with Immigrant Rising to lead six-week Wellness Support Groups, providing immigrants with collective care and community resources. I also serve as an executive board member for the Close the Gap Foundation, where I contribute to the healing and empowerment of first-generation, low-income high school students on their path to higher education.
In addition to my private practice, I am a full-time Mental Health Clinician at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.
In my spare time, I love being outdoors, cooking up new dishes, and exercising.
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 & Anti-Oppressive
I recognize that your socioeconomic background, migration history, and ethnic, racial, and cultural identity shape your sense of safety and belonging in the world. I am committed to actively challenging and dismantling systemic oppression and power imbalances while acknowledging the structural barriers that contribute to 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 provided the burn community with practical, trauma-informed strategies to navigate the physical and emotional challenges of burn trauma, empowering survivors to heal, rebuild confidence, and reclaim their lives.
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?
