San Francisco Bay Area • Online/Virtual throughout California
Helping young adults, Asian Americans, and caregivers address the weight of estrangement, relationship disconnection, and cultural and family expectations
Does any of this sound familiar?
Feeling disconnected from your family—even if you’re still in contact
Feeling hurt, confused, or unsure of yourself after a friendship changed or ended
Feeling stuck in mixed or unresolved emotions, such as sad, guilty, relieved, etc. after a past relationship ended/faded
Feeling pulled in opposite directions—between your own needs and the needs of others
Feeling unsure of who you are or what comes next, especially if much of your life has been shaped by others
Feeling ambivalent about whether or not to end a relationship or to maintain it (with caveats)
The discomfort that comes with feeling disconnected, hurt, stuck, etc within relationships can be unlike any other. It’s often unbearable not only because of the sting from these relationships themselves, but often, also from all the [unsolicited] advice/reassurances you’re getting from others. You may hear comments like…
“Why can’t you just let it go? Why can’t you just be the bigger person?”
“Don’t let them get to you!”
“They didn’t mean it like that!”
“They have a lot going on in their lives.”
“You’re too sensitive!”
Understandably, after hearing comments like this, you might start to question your own memories, experiences, thoughts, and emotions…maybe you got it all wrong…
Or...maybe you don’t…likely, most probably, you don’t.
You make sense…what you’re experiencing is what would be expected with estrangement.
Hi, I’m Gina Li (she/her), a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I’m an Asian American therapist based in the Bay Area, working virtually with adults throughout California.
I specialize in supporting young adults, Asian Americans, and caregivers in navigating estrangement so that they can feel more supported and loved in their relationships moving forward. At the heart of estrangement is often a deep sense of grief—the loss that can come with growing distant from people you were once close to, or from not having had the relationship you had hoped for in the first place.
Alongside that grief, you might also find yourself navigating self-doubt, shame, anger, or questions about your identity—wondering who you are without the relationships you thought would be there.
Heart In Mind reflects the kind of therapy I’m committed to offering: a space that allows you to keep your “heart in mind.” Within therapy, I’ll support you in being your fullest, most authentic self, even in the presence of social, cultural, and systemic pressures that may have pulled you away from yourself over time.
In our work together, we’ll take a thoughtful, holistic, and collaborative approach—one that considers both your lived experiences and the connection between mind and body. My hope is to support you in reconnecting with yourself and what matters the most to you moving forward.
Navigate distance, conflict, or disconnection from family, friends, and partners—past and present.
Clarify your identity while navigating life transitions, become more independent while staying connected.
Be the most authentic version of yourself. Explore cultural identity, family expectations, and generational differences.
Recover from caregiver burnout, stress, and emotional exhaustion.
