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 as the eldest of five siblings, proudly graduating from college as a first-generation, low-income student. The intersection of my culture and experiences has shown me that resilience is more than endurance—it’s about creating a life that feels whole and authentic. I aim to empower others to heal in ways that honor their own story and truth.
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 culturally-affirming 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 am 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.
Giving back to my community is at the heart of my work. I am deeply honored to partner with two organizations to offer six-week Wellness Support Groups, creating a sacred space for collective care, healing, and the honoring of each participant’s voice and liberation. I’m proud to also serve on the board of Close the Gap Foundation, working to ensure first-generation and low-income students have access to mental health resources and the support they need to rise, lead, and thrive.
In addition to my private practice, I am a full-time Mental Health Clinician at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, where I specialize in supporting youth and their families to strengthen interpersonal and emotional regulation skills, build capacity in times of distress, and create a life worth living.
In my free time, I find joy in resting, playing with my kittens, experimenting with new dishes, and staying active through exercise.
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
I understand that your socioeconomic, cultural, and migration background shapes your sense of safety and belonging. I also recognize the inner strength and ancestral wisdom you carry and am here to help you harness it.
Community Care
People have the capacity to heal people. We are wired to connect, and our joy, pain, anger, and very existence are deeply interdependent.
Authenticity
An invitation to come as you are in our work together. All parts of you are welcome here- to be held, honored, supported, and witnessed.
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?
