Growing up as an Asian American in Los Angeles, Pasadena, or the Bay Area, it can be a common experience to be confused with another Asian person. Oak and Stone Therapy explores these racial experiences and emphasizes the importance of being fully seen and known.

The conversation around boundaries is everywhere, but often misses a crucial point: true boundary setting isn't about controlling others, it's about defining and enacting your own responses. Many online discussions frame boundaries as demands on others ("You can't do that!"), but what happens when those demands aren't met? At Oak and Stone Therapy, we understand that helpful boundaries empower you to create your own peace and safety, regardless of external reactions. Setting and reinforcing these limits, especially for Asian Americans, is about making conscious choices about how you'll respond to different behaviors, ultimately fostering healthier and more fulfilling relationships. Read on to explore how focusing on internal agency can lead to profound relational shifts.

Navigating codependent patterns within Asian American families in Los Angeles, Pasadena, or the Bay Area? Oak and Stone Therapy explores how cultural values can influence these dynamics and offers steps towards healthier, more independent relationships.

Asian therapist Samuel Kim, LMFT #141541 at Oak and Stone Therapy in Los Angeles, California writes about how to navigate situations when good intentions lead to a hurtful impact.

Nancy Denq, LMFT 146636 explores common reasons why couples therapy may not be working for you, introduces discernment counseling for couples who are not sure they want to move forward in the relationship, and offers possible ways to move forward.

Our first experiences of love begin at home.
Learn how your early family dynamics shape adult relationships — and how Asian American therapists at Oak and Stone Therapy can help you heal old patterns.

Have you ever been told you're "too much"? Too emotional, too sensitive, too intense? For many Asian Americans and children of immigrants, emotional expression can feel like a liability instead of a strength. But your "too muchness" isn't a flaw — it's an invitation to explore your needs, relational patterns, and voice with more compassion and clarity.

Many Asian Americans and children of immigrants in Los Angeles struggle with ghosting — not because we’re heartless, but because we were raised to avoid conflict, suppress emotions, and prioritize harmony. But ghosting can deepen insecurity, delay healing, and damage trust. In this blog, we explore why ghosting is so common in our communities, how cultural upbringing influences it, and what healthier, more honest alternatives look like for expats, creatives, and first-gen professionals navigating dating and relationships.

Conflict is inevitable in close relationships—but it doesn’t have to be destructive. In this post, Asian American therapist Hatty J. Lee, LMT 83772 explores how conflict can reveal unmet needs, deepen emotional intimacy, and become a turning point for growth. Learn how to approach relational conflict with greater awareness, accountability, and compassion.

Trust isn’t built in one leap—it grows slowly through small, consistent acts over time. In this post, Asian American therapist Hatty J. Lee, LMFT 83772 explores how to build trust in relationships with intention, how predictability creates emotional safety, and why trustworthy behavior matters more than perfection. Learn how therapy can help you strengthen emotional intimacy without losing yourself in the process.

During the holiday season, emotional presence is often more powerful than any material gift. In this post, Asian American therapist Hatty J. Lee, LMFT 83772 explores what it means to truly show up in relationships—not just physically, but with emotional honesty and vulnerability. Learn what gets in the way of presence and how to practice deeper connection through practical, therapist-approved strategies.

Trust is a cornerstone of healthy relationships, but it's not just built on effort—it's built on consistency. In this post, a trauma-informed Asian American therapist Hatty J. Lee, LMFT 83772 explores how predictability creates emotional safety and why even well-intentioned actions can fall short if they’re inconsistent. Learn how therapy can help you rebuild trust, shift relational dynamics, and become the kind of person others feel safe with.

We’re taught that success means always moving forward—toward the next job, the next milestone, the next achievement. But what if that constant striving comes at the cost of our emotional well-being and closest relationships? In this post, a second-generation Asian American therapist Hatty J. Lee, LMFT 83772 reflects on how burnout, disconnection, and cultural expectations can distort our understanding of growth—and how therapy can help us reconnect with what truly matters: love, presence, and meaningful relationships.