Meet Serena
I have dedicated my therapist journey to discovering ways to understand and heal from trauma, and I hope to share that with you.
Areas of expertise, common struggles, and populations I am especially skilled in working with:
Childhood trauma, such as physical or sexual abuse, experiences/exposure to domestic violence, parental separation, loss, poverty, among other adversities
Attachment wounds (e.g emotional abuse and neglect, parentification, emotionally immature parents)
PTSD and Complex PTSD - flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoiding reminders of past trauma, etc
Trauma related dissociative experiences and identities (DID/OSDD, plural systems, unstable sense of self)
Spiritual trauma and abuse - shame as a driving force for manipulation and justification of exploitation
Borderline personality disorder and traits, including struggles with suicidal ideation and self-harming urges, disordered eating, and “self-sabotaging” behaviors
Anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders, as well as people pleasing and perfectionism
Depression and bipolar disorders, along with intense mood swings that seem to come out of nowhere
Chronic pain and fibromyalgia, and also challenges that come along with chronic illness
BIPOC and Asian American experience, including racial trauma, immigrant experience, third culture kids, etc
Young adults and students experiencing life transitions, exploring identity, and questioning one’s future/beliefs
Grief/loss, especially when colored by experiences of pain in a complicated relationship
Codependency, complex family dynamics, and difficulties forming healthy relationships with others
So many of these experiences and struggles are survival mechanisms that previously helped us persevere in chaotic, unsafe, and threatening circumstances. However, what helped us survive in the past seems not to work any longer in our present reality.
The good news is that not only can effects of trauma reverse, but the cultivation of post-traumatic growth can lead to even greater resilience, inspiring us to live more authentically and intentionally!
With the right support, you can reclaim who you are as someone who thrives and not just survives.
About Serena
Welcome, friend! My name is Serena (she/her) and I am a Taiwanese-American licensed clinical social worker based in Santa Barbara, CA though I also provide remote telehealth therapy for clients all across California!
For most of my life, people have often described me as authentic, intentional, curious, compassionate, and resilient. These values have become so important to me because I experienced the ways these values helped me persevere through hardship and suffering.
I have been on the other side of the couch, so to speak, and I am well acquainted with the challenges that trauma and mental health poses on our lives, both as a clinician and as a survivor. More than that, I bear witness to the powerful transformation that can happen when we commit to our healing and self-reflection. I won’t be a clinician on the other side; rather, I’ll be by your side exploring with you. We can cultivate these values in our work together.
Outside of my work as a therapist, I love to rock climb, a pillar in my own self-care! I am also passionate about writing songs that capture unique human experiences and stories, especially when such stories call us to hold space for tension between joy and sorrow, hope and lament, life and death. I am married to my incredible husband who is an associate pastor of a progressive church denomination. Together, we work towards creating safe spaces for young folks to ask large questions, and to foster hearts for social justice among all generations for the betterment of our world.
Past Experiences and Training
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Current: LCSW #121160, licensed in the state of CA
Master of Social Work (MSW), Clinical Practice Specialization from Azusa Pacific University
1st place winner of Capstone Leadership Research Award: Utilizing ACEs Research to Inform a Trauma Psychoeducation Group for Transitional Ages Youth
Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies, Westmont College
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Clinician and intake coordinator providing individual and group therapy for underserved clients at a non-profit clinic
Group facilitator for private practice serving Asian Americans
School-based counselor
Case manager for API youth and families
Group home care staff serving foster youth
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In progress: Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors (Trauma Informed Stabilization Treatment Level 1) by Janina Fisher
Helping Make the Unbearable Tolerable: Trauma & the Treatment of Addictions by Bessel van der Kolk
Techniques for Creatively and Compassionately Addressing the Impulse to Self-Harm and Relapse by Lisa Ferentz
How the Body Carries Racialized Trauma: A Therapeutic Pathway to Resilience & Healing by Resmaa Menakem
Addictive Behaviors as Self-Preservation: Key Insights from the Internal Family Systems Model by Dick Schwartz
Dialectical behavioral therapy skills training course
Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention Certificate
Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 Clinical Training
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Guest lecturer on dialectical behavioral therapy at Azusa Pacific University for Micro Theory class (2022-2024)
Trammel, R. T., & Lee, S. C. (2022). Insights from pastors on Christian mindfulness: What social workers can learn about spiritual integration in mindfulness. Social Work & Christianity.
Lee, S. C., & Rawlings, M. A. (2022). Healing from trauma through psychoeducation: Understanding young adult client group experiences. Social Work with Groups. https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2021.2024109
Pastors and Mindfulness: Results of a Qualitative Study Presentation at the Annual Conference of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work (2021)
Guest writer at Inheritance Magazine (2016-2021)