Anna Nguyen, PhD

BIO

Hi, I’m Anna! I’m so glad that you’ve taken the first step towards looking for help. This is truly the most difficult step towards healing and change, and you’re doing the thing! I’m a postdoctoral fellow here at AGW, with my PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Dakota. I specialize in working with adults who are experiencing attention/focus (ADHD) concerns, anxiety, depression, family of origin trauma, and/or interpersonal relationship concerns.

As a neurodivergent bisexual woman of color and daughter of immigrants, I find work with individuals with marginalized identities (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, first generation students/immigrants, neurodivergent/disabled, etc.) to be the most fulfilling and important work. I believe that seeing yourself in your helpers is immensely important to building a strong therapeutic connection, and that can start with shared identities and/or a shared understanding.

Research has shown that the therapeutic relationship is the most important factor in therapeutic change, irrespective of therapy approach, and I believe that authenticity is central in building that therapeutic relationship. What that means is, the me in the therapy room is the me outside of the therapy room. I believe that showing my genuine reactions, sharing my thoughts, and providing gentle challenges can be very therapeutic. I believe that a therapist must be authentic and transparent if they are asking that of their clients. My primary modes of therapy are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), and Interpersonal Process Theory (IPT). All of that to say, I’m thinking about how you think, how you see the world, how that makes you feel, how these thoughts and feelings impact how you behave, and how those behaviors/thoughts/feelings may be impacting your relationships. Sometimes, this can look like me pointing out things that may be hard to hear, or challenging you to hold two truths, or simply making a 🤨 face.

Outside of the office, I’m an avid KPOP (Korean pop music) fan, a cat mom of two, and a professional couch potato. I love to read and watch TV with my husband while doing a thousand hobbies, like building Lego flowers (not sponsored), building book nooks, and doing diamond art, to name a few.

I hope that this bio gives you a better understanding of what therapy with me can look like. Again, I am so happy and proud that you’ve taken the brave step to start this journey into therapy. If reading this has resonated with you, and you feel that we can build a strong connection that will help you heal, grow, and change, please don’t hesitate to reach out today to schedule a session. I would be honored to help and support you.