Andy Phạm, MFT

Hello! Thank you for visiting my profile. If you were looking for a social justice-oriented, collaborative, and strengths-based therapy practice, you have come to the right place! I support clients in identifying how larger themes of systemic oppression and collective liberation might impact their relationships with themselves, their communities, and the world. Many of us are well-practiced in naming what we want to say NO to in our relationships: we might be earnest in refusing to replicate oppressive patterns or intergenerational wounds. As a therapist, I love supporting clients in practicing what they would like to say YES to in their relationships. What would you like to see be watered, nourished, and grown in the garden of your life? What does enough mean and look like to you? How will you know when you have arrived somewhere meaningful and desirable? These are some questions we might explore together in sessions.

My pathway to becoming a therapist has been deeply informed by my political desires for a better world: one where everyone experiences relationships in which they feel safe, secure, respected, protected, and connected. I believe everyone also deserves the ability to define their lives and relationships on their own terms, beyond social scripts or oppression metrics. I believe everyone deserves to become the subject of their life, not an object of it. As a therapist and a lifelong student, I am always learning more about the most effective and non-harmful ways that we may accomplish these visions for secure relationships and a better world. Some influential teachers and works that have refined my clinical approach/values include Paulo Freire’s “Pedagogy of the Oppressed,” adrienne maree brown’s “Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good,” Dr. Richard Schwartz’s formulation of Internal Family Systems and Parts-work, and writing on solution-focused brief therapy by Insoo Kim Berg, Steve de Shazer, Elliott Connie, and Adam Froerer. My clinical values are also influenced by my lived experience as a queer, trans, Southeast Asian/Vietnamese person raised by working-class war refugees. My family’s culture has also influenced my thinking on the mental health benefits of community, ritual, and ceremony. Outside of therapy, you can find me painting my nails, cooking Vietnamese food, and cackling with my loved ones.

I offer free 15-minute phone consultations for potential clients who are interested in learning more about my therapy approach before scheduling an appointment. You can send me a brief email to set up a call. As a reminder, scheduling an appointment is not a commitment to ongoing therapy. At any point during this process, you are empowered to decide if you would like to move forward or if you would like to seek treatment with a different therapist who better fits your needs.

Fee: $$

Andy is willing to discuss with new clients the potential for a lower hourly rate dependent on that client’s income; please reach out by phone or email to discuss this. More information about psychiatry services and fees can be found here.