An Encapsulation of Who I Am

Hi there! Thanks so much for taking a moment to cross paths with me today. My name is Ariel (she/her), and I am a biracial, second generation, Korean-American therapist. My approach towards engaging with clients is warm, gentle, and collaborative, with a supportive essence. I work from a holistic perspective that seeks to nurture the mind, body, and spirit—and perhaps your broader collective—to facilitate healing, balance, and growth. As a fellow human on Earth, I am enamored by moss, dragonflies, and great blue herons; and in my downtime I enjoy walks with nature, and sharing food with my favorite people. 

My Approach to Working Together

My practice is rooted in the belief that what you seek exists within you and is waiting to be accessed and explored when you are ready. If you feel called to work together, I can partner with you to navigate feelings of stress, worry, rumination, sadness, stagnation, burnout, or hyper awareness of your environment, with the hope that you can live more freely in your being. I also have a heart-centered interest in working with folks who are embarking on significant life transitions (career and beyond), experiencing burnout or imposter syndrome, and embracing the complexities of biracial identity. Together we can tend to your internal landscape and bring unity to facets of yourself that may feel lost or in need of care, so that your inner world can begin to harmonize with the overall state of being that you hope to experience. If you wish to restore and develop a greater sense of calm, increased safety, and connection with yourself, your community, and the natural world around you, it would be an honor to support you on this path. 

Therapeutic Lens

The modalities that guide my work are rooted in your strengths, and recognize familial, environmental, and societal influences.


  • An integral part of my work is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP), a somatic approach that draws upon the wisdom of the body to update patterned responses to your environment, so they can feel more aligned with what is happening in the present rather than the past. SP can support you with managing the effects of trauma so you can feel safer in your body, and experience greater ease, while beginning to rewire limiting beliefs that may no longer serve you.

  • I also have training in Ecotherapy, which is centered in reestablishing a reciprocal relationship with nature—including yourself, community, and the more than human world. Together we can water what needs tending to and compost what may have previously served you to nourish what is ready to grow now.

  • In my work in community mental health, I facilitated mindfulness groups to support clients with increasing awareness of the here and now without judgement. Mindfulness is also a core aspect of SP.

  • I additionally utilize aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to shift patterns of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions, which can help with developing more autonomy over cycles of anxious or depressed states.

Highlighted Trainings

    • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute with Darlene Cohn PhD

    • Earthbody Institute with Kara London, LMFT & Ryan Van Lenning

    • C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles with Leyla Bell, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, RSMT/E


    • California Society for Clinical Social Work with Jill Baumgarten, LCSW

    • UCLA Public Mental Health Partnership with Kina Wolfenstein, LCSW  

    • Hakomi Institute with Deah Baird, N.D., L.P.C.

    • UCLA Division of Population Behavioral Health with Lauren Marlotte, PsyD. 

Education & Experience

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of CA #121293

  • Master of Social Work

    • California State University, Los Angeles

  • Bachelor of Arts, Social Work

    • California State University, Los Angeles

For over five years I worked at a community mental health agency. I started as a clinician and provided therapy, behavioral health services, and groups, to folks who were navigating their mental health, housing instability, and other systems involvement. I later transitioned into supervisory roles where I directly supported team members on a daily basis, and ended in a senior leadership role that focused on overseeing supervisors, the development of processes, and improving program outcomes.