Hi, I'm Chiwoo (he/him/his)
I'm a recovering people-pleaser
Who has found self-love
Growing up in an abusive and neglectful household, my survival strategy was to "blend in."
I was hyper-aware of other people's emotions and learned to accommodate people around me by becoming "small." Little did I know, my tendency to please others has continued into my adulthood (i.e. jobs, relationships, family). I tried everything I knew to be more assertive and compassionate toward myself, only to find myself feeling overwhelmed by guilt and shame. Then one day, I found self-love. When I began loving myself as much as I loved others, everything changed. I was no longer going down the spiral of shame and resentment. Through my own therapy and integration, I've reclaimed my voice, confidence and self-worth as I fell in love with myself more and more. I've also seen many of my clients transforming their lives by loving themselves as they deserve to be. I would love to help you do that as well.
Specializing in People-Pleasing Tendencies, Deconstruction and Social/Racial Justice
People-pleasing
Many people develop people-pleasing tendencies in order to manage potential conflicts, trauma, unmet needs, and so on. It makes us feel like our worth comes from the state of our relationships (No conflict=I'm a good person).
The good news is that since people-pleasing is a learned behavior, it can be un-learned!
Deconstruction
Religions, like Evangelical/ Fundamental Christianity, can have profound impact in our identity. It often shapes our whole world. So what happens if you walk away from your religion? You may face isolation, family conflict, relational conflict, etc. You may also have to stay in "Spiritual Closet" in order to preserve important relationships.
Social/Racial Justice
We live in a world with a variety of power systems (i.e. white supremacy, patriarchy, racism, heterosexualism, etc.). These power systems dehumanize both the oppressors and the oppressed. We must realize that all of us are interconnected and rehumanize ourselves by dismantling these systems.