Today we’d like to introduce you to AP Vo.
Hi AP , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is An Phong (AP) Vo, I grew up in Vietnam and came to the US when I was 12. Growing up, I carried with me not just the visible marks of moving between cultures and places, but also the invisible ones — loss, longing, and the constant search for belonging and connection. I’ve come to see that life’s transitions — whether through loss, love, or new beginnings — are often where we rediscover who we are and what matters most.
Driven by a desire to support others in their toughest seasons, I pursued formal education and training in counseling. The more I studied grief, attachment, and communication, the more I understood how relational wounds often echo across time. Each client became a mirror, reminding me both of universal human longings and of the courage it takes to lean into vulnerability.
I started AP Vo Counseling with a simple commitment: to create a space where people navigating grief, change, and relational pain can feel seen, heard, and supported. I see my work as much more than a counseling practice. It’s a calling to reimagine how we love, grieve, and grow.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There were some struggles along the way. I came to the U.S. as a refugee, not speaking English and trying to make sense of where I fit in. As a child, I learned to adapt and to find my way in new places — and I was fortunate to have a lot of help and support along the way. Those early experiences taught me what it means to feel different, to start over, and to receive help.
Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a lawyer in the nonprofit sector and in project management, both in the U.S. and overseas. Each chapter taught me something valuable about resilience, advocacy, and human complexity. Still, I always felt drawn back to psychology and the deeper work of healing.
The hardest part was giving myself permission to begin again and to step into something that felt more personal and vulnerable. Like many of my clients, I’ve faced fears of failure, rejection, and not being enough. But those experiences have shaped me in ways I couldn’t have learned otherwise.
Today, I bring that lived understanding — of difference, transition, and growth — into my work as a therapist. Just as others supported me through times of uncertainty and change, I hope to be that steady presence for my clients — helping them feel seen, grounded, and supported as they navigate their own seasons of transformation. They don’t have to go through it alone.
As you know, we’re big fans of AP Vo Counseling. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I am a therapist and owner at AP Vo Counseling. I primarily work with couples and individuals navigating relationships, grief, and life transitions. My approach to therapy is both professional and deeply human. I bring my training and clinical expertise, but also my warmth, openness, and appreciation for the simple things — like a walk by the ocean or a quiet hike in nature. To me, therapy isn’t only about solving problems; it’s about helping people reconnect with themselves, their relationships, and their capacity to live fully.
What sets my work apart is the perspective I bring from the path that led me here. Having grown up between cultures, I understand what it’s like to hold different worlds within you. My experience as an attorney and mediator now help me guide couples through difficult conversations with clarity, fairness, and respect for both partners’ needs. Combined with my background in counseling, this allows me to bring both compassion and structure into the room — helping couples not only understand each other more deeply, but also practice new, more connected ways of relating.
I care most about helping people reclaim agency in their relationships, communicate vulnerably, and hold space for transformation. My hope is that clients leave our work together with more courage, self-awareness, and the tools to engage more fully in life — and to feel the connection and belonging that all humans yearn for.
What inspires me most are the moments when something shifts — when a client sees themselves or their partner differently, when understanding replaces distance, or when a sense of hope returns. Those moments remind me why I do this work, and they continue to teach me as much as my clients learn from me.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people are surprised to learn that I was temporarily ordained as a Buddhist nun and also practiced law. On the surface, those paths couldn’t be more different, but both taught me about clarity, compassion, and the courage to face discomfort. My time in the monastery helped me learn presence and stillness; my years in law taught me how to navigate conflict and find resolution. In many ways, my therapy practice brings those worlds together — helping people find peace, understanding, and connection within themselves and their relationships.
Pricing:
- Couples session: $275
- Individual session: $205-$245
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.apvocounseling.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anphongvo
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/an-phong-a-p-vo-san-diego-ca/1175665
