Meet Sunny.
Hi there,
I’m Sunny (she/her/그녀) and I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#106062) and a Mental Health Specialist endorsed by the California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health. I have a passion for helping children, parents, and the inner child we all carry around. My work is all about strengthening the bonds that make families thrive, while also supporting women through the messy, beautiful chaos of motherhood and life’s transitions.
As a mother of three, I’ve survived—sometimes barely—traumatic pregnancies and postpartum challenges. (If you’ve been there, you know exactly what I mean!) These experiences shape the way I approach therapy: with a lot of compassion, humor, and a deep understanding that none of us have it all together, but we’re all doing the best we can.
I’ve read countless parenting books on your behalf because let’s face it—who has the time when you’re juggling life and kids? With an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary and as a proud Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist (endorsed in California), I’ve had the privilege of learning from incredible experts, including through the Napa Infant-Parent Mental Health Fellowship Program at UC Davis. I’m also working toward becoming a certified perinatal mental health specialist through Postpartum Support International.
As a Korean-American immigrant, I deeply value cultural humility and strive to create a space that is inclusive, safe, and free of judgment for all families. As a Christian, I’m also open to incorporating spirituality into our work if that’s something that resonates with you. My goal is simple: to walk alongside you with kindness, humor, and insight as you build stronger, more resilient connections with your family—and perhaps even with yourself along the way.
Personally, I’m right there with you, juggling the roles of wife, mom to three girls (one with special medical needs), daughter, sister, friend, and person of faith—while trying to figure out life. When I do get a break, you’ll find me binge-watching K-dramas, staring at laundry that never folds itself, hiking, or dreaming of my next Disneyland trip. Oh, and fun fact: I once won an award for “Disposition that Best Matches Her Name.”
I hope to wonder together with you to see what would be most helpful for you during this season. I am here to support and empower you through your dark valleys to experience healing and becoming, rediscovering wonder and awe in your relationship with your child.
Infant and Early Childhood
Trauma
Stress & Anxiety
Depression
Grief & Loss
Neurodevelopmental Differences (FASD)
Highly Sensitive Children
Perinatal/Postpartum Challenges for Parents
Parenting Difficulties
Intergenerational Trauma
Life Transitions
Engagement with DCFS and Foster Care System
Early Education Center Individual/Program Consultation & Training
My Clinical Focus.
My Approach & Philosophy.
Our deepest desire is to be seen, heard, and be known, and to feel safe, loved, and empowered. From infancy to adulthood, we learn different ways to communicate these needs with others and learn to cope with the pain when the needs are not met. These moments also physically shape the ways our brains are wired. The way you experience the world, other people, and yourself are shaped by thousands of these moments. It makes sense that we may all need support with better understanding these patterns in our lives - especially when the ways that have worked for us to meet our needs no longer feel effective and pain feels too overwhelming. Both you and your child may be feeling stuck and alone in these struggles.
You know your child best: I want to partner with you and to support you to help create a supportive environment for the success of your child. I believe that healing and growth for children happen within their relationship with caregivers, so your engagement is vital to their wellness. You may not be ready for therapy if you expect me to simply “fix” your child.
Also, I believe that an important aspect of your child’s wellbeing is your own wellness. If you are overwhelmed with personal difficulties that prevent you from being attuned and present with your child, I want to support you in slowing down to care for yourself and help you find additional support.
I approach my work through a reflective, relational, brain-based, and integrative lens. I take a strength based approach, supporting families in identifying areas of strength, and using those strengths to support the areas that may be more vulnerable or need more attention in.
My goal is to provide a safe space to slow down, explore, question, affirm, challenge, and realign ourselves so that we can see, hear, and know the current needs you or your child may have. I believe that this will nurture and renew the sense of awe and wonder we have for each other. Through helpful tools such as play, humor, curiosity, art, psychoeducation, and coaching, you and your child will develop skills necessary to set up your environments for success.
I do not believe in a one size fits all model for therapy, and try my best to meet my clients where they are. Our time will be informed by basics of Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health, Perinatal Mental Health, and different tools such as evidence-based therapeutic modalities I am trained in (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Child Parent Psychotherapy, Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, Restoration Therapy, Brainspotting, and Mindfulness). My understanding of child development, Contextual Family Systems Theory and Attachment Theory will help me to hold each member and family relationships in mind with compassion, authenticity, and hope for restoration.
“What is shareable is bearable.”
Dr. Dan Siegel
Help is available.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at1-800-273-TALK (8255) for immediate support.
