Kristy Zhen (she/her),
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Hi, I’m Kristy!
I want to see queer, trans, BIPOC in their full power as they navigate life, and I believe that our individual healing is essential to our collective liberation.
I am a queer, cisgender, Chinese American woman with working class, immigrant family roots. I make authentic connections with people through my compassion and ability to hold space without judgment. I intentionally have a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and anti-oppressive practice.
My Approach
I use a mix of mind and body-based therapeutic techniques that I'm trained in, along with what has personally helped me heal. I'm committed to decolonial and anti-oppressive practices, understanding how systemic oppression impacts us and our lineage, and how it affects us today. Instead of trying to 'fix you’, I believe in embracing all parts of you—even the tough, hidden ones—as they hold the potential for healing when acknowledged.
Who I Work With
I am energized by working with BIPOC femmes who are navigating life and wanting to get in touch with the inner confidence that sometimes gets lost. Especially for those who are children of immigrants or first generation cycle breakers - we can struggle with
perfectionism,
imposter syndrome,
setting boundaries, or
feeling exhausted putting others first and wanting to finally focus on ourselves.
I welcome all parts of you as we go on this journey with the self-compassion and softness you deserve.
Most of the people I work with identify as LGBTQIA+. I provide a gender-affirming, queer-affirming therapeutic space that honors the beauty of queerness as well as witness to the impacts of homo/bi/transphobia. Some issues that we can hold space for:
coming out
gender exploration
sexuality exploration
navigating family and other relationships
intersectionality of multiple marginalized identities.
I love working with BIPOC youth who are navigating life as a pre-teen or teenager. I have over 10 years experience supporting BIPOC youth in schools. There’s a lot to navigate in a young person’s world and I’m here to build trust and create a safe space for
building self-esteem,
navigating peer relationships,
balancing demands of academics, extracurriculars, and family, and
exploring personal identity.
Rates + F.A.Q
I currently see individuals for $175 for 55 minute session.
-
I offer limited sliding-scale options.
-
At the moment, I am only offering virtual therapy to residents in California.
-
I only take Kaiser through Grow Therapy. If you have another insurance, I can provide a monthly superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Please contact your insurance company for their out-of-network policy.
-
Under the No Surprises Act (H.R. 133 - effective January 1, 2022), you have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care (including mental health services) will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give people who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.