Kelly Lai

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master of Social Work from UCLA and a background in psychology. I have worked in both hospital and community settings, supporting individuals through trauma, grief, and major life challenges. My experience includes working with veterans, survivors of sexual assault, individuals in hospice care, and refugee families adjusting to life in the U.S.

These experiences have shaped me into a calm, grounded, and adaptable therapist. While my background includes higher-acuity work, my current practice focuses on helping adults manage stressors, life transitions, relationship challenges, and the impact of past experiences.

I take a trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach, and I aim to create a space that feels both supportive and comfortable. I value being genuine and approachable in session, as therapy doesn’t have to feel overly formal to be meaningful. My goal is to help you build insight, resilience, and practical tools you can use in your day-to-day life.

I take a collaborative and flexible approach to therapy that is tailored to your needs. I draw from evidence-based practices, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Interpersonal Therapy, and Strengths-Based techniques.

I look at the bigger picture of how your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and past experiences all connect. Depending on your goals, we might focus on building coping skills, understanding patterns, processing past experiences, or making meaningful changes in your life.

My style is supportive, thoughtful, and down-to-earth. I value creating a space where you can be yourself and where therapy feels both meaningful and practical, with room for honesty, reflection, and even moments of lightness when it feels right.

The first session will be a chance for us to get to know each other and see if it feels like a good fit. We’ll talk about what’s bringing you in, your background, and what you’re hoping to get out of therapy. There’s no pressure to have everything figured out, and you can share at your own pace.

I aim to create a space that feels welcoming, supportive, and nonjudgmental. We’ll begin identifying your goals and talk about what working together might look like moving forward.

By the end of the session, you can expect to have a clearer sense of how I work and whether you’d like to continue the next steps together.