Meet Rachel Kwon
I'm a second-generation Korean American and native Angeleno, shaped by the push and pull of two cultural worlds where the invisible weight of family loyalty, honor, and sacrifice conflicts with the quiet ache of chronic misunderstandings, hurtful labeling, and disconnection. The pain of unaddressed trauma and severe mental health issues within your family leaves you scapegoated and highly masked to belong. A part of you wonders if heartache is just the hand you were dealt, like suffering is stitched into your story.
My approach is depth-oriented and intuitive, grounded in attachment theory, family systems, and trauma-informed care. Shaped by my identities as a highly sensitive, INFP, cisgender person, my clients have shared experiences of constantly feeling "different" in ways they couldn't explain - deeply sensitive, emotionally attuned, and silently overwhelmed by a world that never quite fit.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#149091). I integrate Internal Family Systems (IFS), Brainspotting, and CBT techniques to help you access healing from the inside out. Our work will make space for your story's pain and resilience, for the unspoken wounds and generational gifts you carry forward. Clients have described working with me as creative, open-minded, and welcoming
My clients are highly sensitive and neurodivergent second-generation teens and adult children of immigrants. They hold the preciousness of language and want to speak to all that is unsaid and make sense of their rich ancestral and spiritual heritage.
I work best with:
Teens, adults parenting teens, and parent-teen communication. My teenage clients want to be witnessed and held for who they are as they navigate the complexities of school, friendships, evolving identities, and their growing independence. Their parents, filled with love for their teens, find themselves trying to make sense of their teens' new behaviors and the shift from childhood to adolescence. But the more they reach in, the more their teen pulls away. Both sides are exhausted and frustrated by the push-and-pull power dynamic and feel unseen and disconnected.
My clients are BIPOC young adults learning to live life to the fullest while honoring loyalty to their families of origin. Many are the first in their families to seek therapy, courageously breaking generational cycles while also discovering the wisdom and strengths passed down to them. They feel lost in navigating life, like they've been dropped in the middle of the ocean, unsure if the direction they're paddling is even the right one. They're exploring different parts of themselves, whether it's their 'work self,' 'dating self,' or the version of themselves that connects with hobbies and joy.
My clients are neurodivergent or highly sensitive individuals who have spent so much of their lives masking that it's hard to tell where the mask ends and their true self begins. Beneath that surface is someone who deeply wants to be seen, as they are, by someone willing to meet them in their world. Out of their lifelong experiences of exclusion and invisibility comes a powerful sense of justice and a deep commitment to truth. They are resilient, creative, and resourceful, expressing themselves through unique interests, coping strategies, and chosen communities where they find belonging.
Therapy with me is affirming, authentic, and holistic. Through a collaborative and empathic therapeutic space, we do meaningful work together, supporting you in uncovering the insights and solutions that already reside within you. In our work, we will:
Examine your values and cultivate a life that feels like your own
Place boundaries so you can love yourself and others more
Understand yourself from a compassionate, non-pathological lens
Special welcome to neurodivergent and highly sensitive teens and BIPOC young adults, especially those who've grown up with family mental illness, childhood trauma, or the challenges of a low-income background.
Postgraduate degree in counseling: California State University, Fullerton, Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling & Marriage and Family Therapy
Specialized training(s): Internal Family Systems (IFS/Parts work), Brainspotting, TF-CBT, Neurofeedback, Seeking Safety, MAP