Today we’d like to introduce you to Ky Ngo Dennis.
Ky, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From a very young age, I knew I going to be a helper in this lifetime. At the age of four, I have memories of being deeply impacted by what I saw on television depicting the global poor and nature being exploited. I often thought about people and animals around the globe, and I wondered about their conditions and how I could help.
When I was in high school, I became involved in environmental and animal rights issues and had set my path to work in those arenas. However, some turbulent experiences during college and post-college forced me to reevaluate my choice of activism as a career.
At that time, I had been seeing a therapist in Berkeley for a couple of years, and I developed the insight that becoming a therapist would be a more fitting profession for my sensitive, empathic nature.
It’s been over ten years since I made that shift in my life, and I deeply love my work and my life. After I graduated from my counseling program, I started off working in various agencies, working primarily with children and teenagers. About 2.5 years ago, I left my full-time job to dedicate myself fully to my own therapy practice. I wanted to create a space where I had the space and freedom to do healing work in a way that is authentically me.
Running my own practice has also given me the time & space to become active in the climate/social justice arena as a volunteer. I am loving that my path is circling back to some of my original passions.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Most therapists can attest to this – the road to becoming a licensed clinician is not an easy one. The hours and training required are very rigorous. In order to do our jobs well, we need to learn how to create balance within us and in our lives so that we can have the space to care for others. Having to work in high-stress settings and low-paying jobs is unfortunately the standard experience of a therapist early in their career.
As therapists building our own business, there is a lot to learn about creating a sustainable and ethical practice. Most of us don’t have a business background and so we learn from direct experience and consultation with others. Overall, it’s been an amazing evolution for me and I’m so grateful that I am able to shape my life with as much freedom as I have.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Currently, I have a solo therapy practice serving adults & teenagers. I have been seeing clients as a therapist for a decade, and I also bring into the healing space 18 years of spiritual practice.
People typically come to me seeking a somatic approach to therapy, feeling that traditional talk therapy hasn’t helped them make the shifts they are desiring. I am certified in a technique called Neuro Emotional Technique (NET), which uses the body to identify stored traumas and release stuck emotions. I also integrate mindfulness, hypnotherapy, and Reiki energy work, when it is appropriate.
My focus as a healer is on trauma work and increasing connection to one’s spirituality, whatever that looks like for each individual. I believe that when we move through our emotional blockages and tap into our spiritual source, we can find access to our inner guidance. That is something that will remain with us for our entire lifetime.
During the pandemic, I began offering both virtual sessions and in-person sessions at my Hillcrest office and outdoors at a local park. I also started facilitating workshops specifically for Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) women to connect with one another and share stories about our cultural lineage.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I started creating a vision for my life as a young child who immigrated to America from Vietnam. As I grew up, the vision has naturally evolved. Nonetheless, my core values have not wavered. The key to my joy as a healer and a person living on Earth is my choice to stay close to my deepest beliefs and values. I am reaping the benefits of listening to my intuition as I’ve navigated through my life.
Pricing:
- $150/55-minute individual therapy session
- $375 for a 6-week community workshop for AAPI Women
Contact Info:
- Email: ky@therapyinsandiego.com
- Website: www.therapyinsandiego.com
- Instagram: mindbody.therapist
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapywithky
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvbo1HJt_FlClnogYBgKL-g
