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Heart In Mind

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Heart In Mind, Mental Health Service, 11461 San Pablo Avenue #125, El Cerrito, CA.

Therapy for addressing estrangement, especially among those who identify as young adults, Asian Americans, and/or caregivers

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12/31/2025

As a therapist, I think one of the most unique aspects of my role is how I get to know each of the people I work with (aka my “clients, patients,” or other reference terms assigned by workplaces), on a deep level...often a level that many others don't get to know my clients/patients.

While getting to know my clients/patients on this deep level however, there also comes a time when I inevitably have to say goodbye to my clients/patients.

This post shares some of my reflections on my role as a therapist in relation to my clients/patients, as well as some reflections, including one of my favorite quotes, that has helped me (and that I'm hoping can help you all, whether you're a therapist or client), navigate the unique grief that comes with the goodbyes/endings to the therapeutic relationship.

12/23/2025

You make sense if you feel like you're too much and not enough at the same time.

This can be especially pronounce when you hold multiple identities. For example, for many Asian Americans, it is common to feel like you're too Asian among some of your non-Asian peers and not Asian enough among your Asian family and/or peers. There may be some sociocultural norms that you've adopted from your Asian American family and at the same time, sociocultural norms that you've adopted from your non-Asian peers.

As another example, for many trauma survivors, you may sometimes feel like you are too much and at other times, not enough for your peers and family who haven't endured similar trauma experiences. Your trauma survival responses (or in other words, what you had to do to survive your traumatic experiences) may posit you as "different" as you continue to experience life alongside others who did not endure the same traumatic experiences. You may for example, be more wary than others, when meeting new people because others in the past have deeply hurt you.

As a therapist for estrangement, I am conscientious of the connections between your trauma history and identities (sociocultural background, roles, etc.) and the challenges of estrangement. You make sense.

10/20/2025

You make sense if you need/want help at times...and you don't directly ask for help.

Because...Maybe when you've directly asked for help in the past,
- No one came or
- People said they would be there, but they ended up flaking or
- People have misread or minimized or denied your needs/wants or
- You received help followed by being shamed/admonished for needing/wanting/asking for help or
- People around you don't directly ask for help; it's seen as taboo or is otherwise, not the norm within your specific sociocultural background or
- You've given clear non-verbal cues that you need/want help...and you're not in the physical/mental space to be able to verbalize your need for help because you've become speechless from prolonged emotional/physical pain or
a combo of some or all of the above.

10/08/2025

The fact you've been able to take care of yourself, others...take care of so much, does not negate the fact that you also have limits within that ability.

You need and want help too and that totally makes sense. None of us were meant to be endless givers without ever receiving. Healthy relationships need to be reciprocal; there needs to be give-and-take (which is different than keeping count of who does what/how much/when).

In our moments of need, especially for those who are often otherwise very capable, we may not reach out for help and sadly, others may not reach out to offer help.

You can feel helpless/be stuck at times. And...you can still be independent/capable.

09/24/2025

The pain experienced in moments of hardship, trauma, etc. is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the enduring effects of these pain-points.

What often exacerbates and prolongs the pain is what happens afterwards: the missed experience and clarity that would help us to heal and move forward with our lives. In other words, what didn't happen that we needed to happen after the painful experience (i.e. comforting/reassuring words, affirmation of love/care, a hug, etc.)

To that end, here is the beginning of a series of posts I intend to make called, "You make sense..."

You make sense if you feel regretful that you did not get what you needed/wanted from your loved ones and at the same time...you feel grateful for what your loved ones could/did provide.

Your mixed feelings reflect your presence with all that is true for you...your younger self and your present-day self.

09/09/2025

Hi there! It's been a minute. Thank you for sticking by as I've been navigating the ebbs and flows of life as a fellow human-being. I try to remind myself and my clients that building connections (an essential part of healing) requires intentional effort AND breaks...that it's okay to not always be on AND it's important to show up when possible as well.

Here are some recent things I've been up to as a therapist and as a person overall:
- I've been working as a clinical supervisor for therapist trainees and associates (i.e. current graduate students and recent graduates of master's degree programs to become therapists)

- I've been navigating firsthand and in my work, the stressful and unnecessarily complex US healthcare system.

- I've continued my training in Attachment-Focused EMDR and am looking forward to further integrating this into my practice as a therapist.

- I've updated my website to more specifically explain what my private practice is all about: therapy for estrangement. Within the broader categories of intergenerational trauma and relational trauma (what I had listed before), I am particularly focused and passionate about addressing one of the aftermaths of these traumas--that of estrangement or the loss of relationships or closeness within relationships. I'm excited to share more with you all through future blogs and posts about this!

Looking forward to reconnecting.

~ Gina

04/28/2025

Are you living the life you imagined you would?
Do you see other people living the life you thought you'd have or the life you wish you could have had?

When we don't see our lives pan out the way we anticipated it would be, had planned for it to be, there is a very real sense of loss. Such losses are called "non-finite grief, living losses, or ambiguous grief."

In my latest blog, I discuss the impacts of theses losses/this type of grief and some ways for beginning to address it.

The link to the blog is in the bio.

04/24/2025

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April) this year, I am sharing some of my reflections about victim-blaming and one of the many reasons why it is unfortunately, so prevalent.

A term I first learned about last year from a Palestinian advocate came to mind in my own reflections: "The Perfect Victim."

The "Perfect Victim" in terms of sexual assault, is someone that society has fooled us into thinking is the only victim/survivor that is worthy of support.

- They are the victims that had absolutely no control/choice at any point (despite the fact that a lot of victims do initially choose to engage with the person who ends up violating them because they were under the false belief that the person wouldn't hurt them/that the person cared about them).

- They are the ones that loudly scream, "No" when someone violates them (even though research has shown that may survivors/victims experience an autonomic stress response that renders them speechless--called "Speechless Horror/Terror.")

-They are the ones that don't fight back too much or else, they are told that they deserved it or that the violence was mutual (despite the fact that one of people's survival insights is to fight back).

- They are the ones that immediately report their experiences to their loved ones and legal authorities (despite the fact that oftentimes, loved ones and legal authorities end up interrogating the victim/survivor so much instead of offering compassion/concern, that the victim/survivor ends up feeling worse).

There is a lot more to be said on this topic, but for now, I'd just like to end on:
- Please stay curious/compassionate towards each other and yourself.
- Please remember that we are multi-faceted human-beings who can have an array of responses that seemingly don't mesh.

04/07/2025

One of the hardest things about life is that we cannot change what's already happened, which includes the horrific things that might have happened to us.

A lot of my clients have understandably asked things like, "What can be done if I can't change the past then? Is there anything that can be done?"

In short? Yes, there are thankfully some things that can still be done so that your suffering doesn't further leak into other aspects of your life. My commitment as a therapist is to help you identify and strengthen the resources that will allow you to create and live the life that you need moving forward.

(This quote was shared with my peers and I during the "Attachment-Focused EMDR" training I attended these last 2 months.)

01/21/2025

During times of catastrophic suffering/pain on wide-reaching scale (and when recalling such times), it can feel inappropriate and insensitive to feel happy or to do things that make us happy at all.

This post shares a bit more about how to navigate this space as a person witnessing but not experiencing trauma-- as a person experiencing "vicarious trauma."

I hope this helps.
(This post was inspired by recent and past sessions with many of my clients. As I've shared in previous posts/stories, I learn/unlearn/am reminded of learnings by my clients and believe that clients--just like therapists--carry a lot of wisdom, albeit often obscured or buried.)

01/06/2025

Hi, just wanted to say hi again to everyone!

For those of you whom I haven't met yet, my name's Gina Li, I'm a licensed mental health therapist based in the Bay Area, California, and the founder of Heart In Mind. More specifically, I am a licensed mental health therapist with a Master's In Clinical Social Work.

I've been very intentional about pursuing this work, as I am personally familiar with the pains of being human and also, the possibilities to heal. Honestly, the time I spent in between my Bachelor's and Master's Degree was time spent reflecting on if I had the strength in me to do this job; the desire came much earlier.

As a therapist, I am regularly attuning to not only what my clients are saying, but also what they are not. I am regularly attuning to the non-verbal communication cues as I know that much of communication is non-verbal and much of healing happens beyond the words spoken. Most importantly though, I am cognizant of how my clients struggles are inevitably intertwined with unresolved pains within society.

Thank you for being here in community with me. I appreciate you.

(P.S. This is a picture of me on my last birthday with matcha tiramisu)

12/30/2024

Here is the year-end recap for Heart in Mind for year 2024!

Before I write/say anything else, I want to affirm that time is a social construct and you don't need to ascribe to any particular timeline or time frame for your goals/aspirations/hopes/dreams.

This being said, I believe that it's helpful to self-reflect at any time including at the end of the Gregorian calendar year. Self-reflection is part of the process in being with what we're experiencing rather than just going through the motions; something that is critically important for our well-being.

In my own self-reflection, what comes up most for me is feeling lots of gratitude as I resume taking chances in my life--professionally and personally. I am so grateful to you all-- my clients, colleagues, peers, teachers/mentors, and community. Thank you for being a part of my journey.

Address

11461 San Pablo Avenue #125
El Cerrito, CA
94530

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	2pm - 6pm
Sunday	9am - 6pm

Website

http://www.heartinmindmh.com/, http://linktr.ee/heartinmindtherapy

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