Older adults bring a lifetime of experience, resilience, and perspective to therapy that I find genuinely inspiring. I enjoy the depth of conversation that comes with this population — the opportunity to help someone navigate a new chapter of life with dignity and purpose.

There is something particularly meaningful about supporting people through the transitions that come with aging, whether that's loss, health challenges, caregiving, or simply finding renewed meaning and connection.

Telehealth removes many of the practical barriers that have historically kept older adults from accessing mental health care — transportation challenges, mobility limitations, health concerns, and geographic distance from providers.

In my experience, once clients are comfortable with the technology, they often find it easier to open up from the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Online therapy also makes consistent, ongoing care far more sustainable, which matters enormously for long-term mental health outcomes.

I lead with warmth and genuine curiosity about each person's life and goals. My approach is collaborative — I work with clients to understand what's getting in the way of feeling better and what strengths and experiences they already bring to the table. I draw on evidence-based methods, including cognitive-behavioral and acceptance-based approaches, while remaining flexible enough to meet each person where they are. I don't believe in one-size-fits-all therapy, particularly with older adults whose life circumstances vary enormously.

I integrate evidence-based psychotherapy — primarily cognitive-behavioral, acceptance and commitment, and problem-solving approaches — with a strong emphasis on the whole person, not just the presenting symptom. For older adults, that means paying attention to the interplay between mental health, physical health, social connection, and life meaning. I take the time to understand each client's history and values, because good therapy at any age has to be grounded in who that person actually is.

My path to geropsychology was not a straight line. Early in my career, while working in the federal prison system, I encountered an elderly inmate in his 70s who had moderate dementia.

He was living in the general prison population, couldn't navigate the system, and — as I later learned from his records — had been wrongfully blamed by his own son for a crime he likely couldn't even comprehend. He had no one to advocate for him.

That encounter stayed with me and sparked a deep awareness of how vulnerable older adults can be, particularly those who are low-income or from marginalized communities. When I transitioned to providing services in nursing homes in 1998, I never looked back. I realized this was the population I was meant to serve.

Give it time, and give yourself permission to be honest. Many people come to their first session unsure of what to say or worried about being judged — and that's completely normal. Therapy works best when it feels like a genuine conversation, not a performance. You don't have to have everything figured out before you start; the whole point is to work through it together.

That it's not just for crisis. Some of the most meaningful therapeutic work happens when people are functioning well but want to understand themselves better, navigate a transition, or simply have a space to process the complexity of their lives. For older adults especially, therapy can be a powerful tool for finding clarity, connection, and renewed purpose — not a sign that something is wrong.

Give it time, and give yourself permission to be honest. Many people come to their first session unsure of what to say or worried about being judged — and that's completely normal.

I grew up as the child of missionaries in Seoul, Korea, where I attended an international school with students from all over the world and was often in the minority as a Caucasian American. That upbringing gave me a very different worldview and a deep appreciation for what it feels like to stand out — something I believe makes me a more empathetic therapist to this day.