You are welcome here.
your burning anxiety
your profound grief
your sacred anger
your deepest fear
and your hidden joy,
All parts of you are welcome.
Embedded Files
Reclaim Your Life.
Hey you are welcome here!
Rebekah Gong
LCSW, LICSW, CST, ADHD-CCSP, ASDCS
she/they/她/ta
IFS/IFIO, EMDR, DBR, EFT, SP, GSRD, Presence Psychotherapist
CA, WA, NJ
Come As You Are
PHILOSOPHY
My clinical work is informed both by my professional training and my lived experience as an Asian queer immigrant/diaspora.
My inherent inclination has always been to support those who have felt unseen, misunderstood, or excluded by systems that did not fully hold their complexity, including, but not limited to, racism, sexism, xenophobia, heteronormativity, ableism (including neuroableism), fatphobia, ageism, and other forms of structural harm, and to affirming the dignity of diverse bodies, minds, and ways of being. As a result, I am drawn toward non-pathologizing strength-based perspectives.
At the heart of my work is a belief that healing does not require fixing who you are. Rather, it involves creating space and capacity to listen to what has been unheard within, and to relate to every part of yourself with curiosity, clarity, and compassion. My approach is grounded in a decolonizing, neuroexpansive, multicultural lens, honoring the full humanity of your inner and relational world.
APPROACH
Dually licensed in the U.S. (California, Washington, and New Jersey) and China, and trained across Europe, North America, and Asia, I am privileged to be one of the few psychotherapists with extensive educational and clinical experience in both the West and the East.
As a multi-specialized therapist, I bring you a unique experiential integrative approach weaving together inner child/parts work (Internal Family System, Presence Psychotherapy), neurobiology-based interventions (Deep Brain Reorienting Therapy, EMDR), and body-oriented (somatic attachment therapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy), with a trauma-informed focus on attachment and relational dynamics (Intimacy From The Inside Out, Couples Developmental Model, Emotionally Focused Therapy). As an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, I've received specialized training in Sex Therapy as well as Gender Sexuality and Relationship Diversity (GSRD) therapy. As for eating disorders treatment, I adhere to the Health-at-Every-Size principles. My practice is informed by the latest research on attachment, trauma recovery, and neuroscience, including polyvagal theory. Additionally, I am psychodynamically informed and can draw from more traditional methods like ACT and DBT as needed.
SPECIALITIES
- Trauma
complex, developmental, preverbal, relational, physical, sexual, intergenerational, racial, activism, etc., attachment wounds (e.g. mother's wound), issues with family of origin, grief and loss
- Sexuality & Pleasure for individuals and couples/polycules
intimacy difficulty, mismatched desire, sexual pain and dysfunction, kink/fetish/BDSM, sexuality exploration, sexual performance anxiety, pelvic floor dysfunction, etc.
- Relationship & Intimacy for couples/polycules
conflicts, disconnection, communication challenges, infidelity, life transitions as a couple, navigating opening up/poly/consensual non-monogamy, etc.
- Identity Exploration & Cultural Experience
racial, gender, cultural identity; cross-cultural and between-culture challenges
- Body Image Issues & Eating Concerns
disordered eating, eating disorders; perfectionism
You've created a space that feels like a hug.
- Former Client
Highlights of Professional Background
I recognize that my educational path has involved both privilege and perseverance, navigating global systems that have both enabled and constrained my learning.
Clinical Leadership & Faculty Roles
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Institute, Accelerated Trainer Program
Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO) Institute, Staff Member
Presence Psychotherapy Institute, Training Faculty
Core Credential
Certified Sex Therapist® (CST) through AASECT. Also Certificate in Sex Therapy from the University of Michigan, U.S.
Certified IFS™ Therapist through the IFS (Internal Family System) Institute.
Certified Presence Psychotherapist. Presence Psychotherapy: Integrate Spirituality with Trauma Work.
Certified EMDR Therapist™ through EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association).
Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS)
ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP)
Advanced Training & Certificate
Certificate: Somatic Attachment Therapy
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma Level One (SPI-trained)
Somatic Internal Family System Therapy, with Susan Mcconnell
Intimacy From The Inside Out, for Relationship Therapy
Developmental Model of Couples Therapy
Emotionally Focused (Couples) Therapy Externship Training
Historical and Transgenerational Trauma Healing
Decolonization in Psychotherapy and Mental Health
Deep Brain Reorienting Therapy, Level Three, Sudden Sound, Dissociation & Alexander Technique Deep Brain Somatic Interweaves
Sleep Repair in trauma work
Ancestral Lineage Healing
Ceremony and Integration of Psychedelic Medicine Healing (esp. Goddess molecule/5-MeO-DMT)
Psychodrama, Somatic Reparenting, Liberating Strategies and Social Justice
Working with Defenses, Jerome S. Blackman, American Psychoanalytic Association
Trauma-Informed Eating Disorders Treatment (32-month Residency Training of PHP/IOP/OP with TheLotusCollaborative)
Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) foundational training
Licensure & Education
Degree: Master of Social Work (Clinical Concentration) /University of California, Berkeley, U.S.
Diploma: Post-Graduate Diploma in Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity (GSRD) Therapy /Pink Therapy, London, UK
License: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) #115405, California
License: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Work (LICSW) #SWI.LW.70019503, Washington
License: Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) #44SC06566400, New Jersey
License: Licensed National Psychological Counselor (Advanced), China
Speaking & Teaching Engagement
Women Overseas — Workshop Facilitator on Collective Healing Circle Post-Election for immigrants and international workers/students
Stanford University Medical School — Guest Speaker on the sexuality of Asian Americans for medical students and physicians
Stanford University Medical School — Guest Speaker on understanding Chinese immigrants' mental health via a culturally informed lens for medical students and physicians
Presence Psychotherapy Institute — Teaching Assistant of Presence Psychotherapy Level 1 & Level 2 Training for IFS therapists and practitioners
IFS Institute — Program Assistant for multiple Internal Family System Level One Trainings for BIPOC therapists and practitioners
QTIFS — Teaching Assistant of Internal Family System Foundations Course for trans, nonbinary, and queer clinicians
APISWC, National Association of Social Workers — Workshop Facilitator on introducing Internal Family System for Asian American and Pacific Islander therapists
EDRD Pro — Panelist on understanding body liberation for eating disorders therapists and registered dietitians
San Francisco General Hospital /University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Trauma Recovery Center — Presenter on understanding eating disorders for trauma therapists
Stanford University Women Talk — Panelist on impostor syndrome and women empowerment for international students
Beijing LGBTQ Center — Workshop Facilitator and Presenter on gender, sexuality, and relationship diversity
UC Berkeley, Bixby Center for Population, Health, and Sustainability — Presenter on sexual health and sexual wellness
Oxfam — Workshop Facilitator on gender equity and diversity awareness for non-profit leadership
Beijing Normal University — Guest Speaker and Workshop Facilitator on understanding intimate partner violence/domestic violence for MSW graduate students
Professional Affiliations
Co-chair (2019-2021) and Board Member (current), Asian Pacific Islander Social Work Council (APISWC) of NorCaL, NASW
DEI Committee Member, American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT)
Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA)
Polyamory-Friendly Professionals Directory
National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN)
Research & Professional Contributions
Advisory Board Member, National Queer Women's Eating Disorders Research Project, University of Minnesota School of Public Health & University of Colorado Denver (2021-2025)
Study on Population with Disability Accessing Sexual Health Services in East China, Marie Stopes International (2019)
Closed-door Meeting on the Depathologization of Homosexuality in China, World Health Organization (WHO) Beijing Office (2016)
A space for complexity, healing, and becoming.
- Rebekah Gong
May You Be Rooted, May You Heal, May You Thrive
Born in a riverside town in central China, where citrus, rice, and lotus abound, my upbringing was steeped in the flavors of lotus root soup, tea brewed from lotus seeds, and delicately steamed dishes wrapped in lotus leaves. These memories have stayed with me as I ventured far from my hometown. Navigating life as a queer in China and later an Asian queer immigrant/diaspora in North America, there were countless moments when I felt adrift, rootless, or even "psychologically homeless." I embarked on a journey of healing and empowerment by leading a feminist theatre project that reconnected me with my body. Along the way, therapy, mindfulness, dance, songs, improv, nature, grief rituals, plant medicine, spirituality, and communities have nurtured me. My lifelong self-discovery and growth journey continues to unfold, inspiring me to show up in both personal and professional realms, allowing me to adventure in the world while rooted.
Today, the mission of Dear Rooted Lotus is driven by a deep desire to support you in finding your very own path to feel grounded, flourish, and thrive. Together, let us embark on your transformative journey toward healing and empowerment. We will navigate the intricacies of your inner landscape, unleashing your inherent potential and paving the way for a life of profound fulfillment.
No mud, no lotus.
- Thich Nhat Hanh
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