Hi, I’m Jonathan Seng
I’m a mental health therapist (AKA psychotherapist) with a Master’s degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. In Virginia, I’m what’s called a Supervisee in Social Work which means I practice under a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) as I work toward my own independent licensure.
In a previous life, I was tracking to become a psychiatrist. I actually got a Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences along the way, and my approach reflects this. I left medical school after 2.5 years through the program and pivoted into mental health.
I do not not provide medical advice. However, I’m confident in my ability within bounds of my legal role to discern when you really should see a physician or psychiatrist rather than spend time and money on psychotherapy that might only offer partial relief on its own.
I chose the social work route toward being a therapist because I have passion for social justice and structural changes in a macro level. I care and try to involve myself within communities with which I share cultural identity. Though it was a long journey of introspection and self-acceptance, I’m proud to be a gay Asian American man. I’m proud to be the son of Cambodian refugees who escaped war and genocide.
The social work perspective offers a stronger consideration of environmental factors that influence mental health. I understand this in the context of my own life. And I will be actively listening to understand this in context of yours.
My Approach
Evidence-based practice is highly emphasized in my approach as a therapist. Research literacy has been an imperative aspect of both my degrees in biomedical sciences and social work. In our work together, I will be certain to tell you whether I am aware of the research or clinical evidence supporting or discrediting a clinical practice.
That’s not to say I am totally against trying things outside the “gold standard”. My approach is also holistic; sometimes the best decision is going to be what fits you in the context of your life and environment. We work as a team, and ultimately you make the decision. I’m here to guide, point out consequences, and help figure out alternatives to broaden those choices.
Emotional Regulation
We will likely spend a significant amount of time building your emotional regulation skills. These skills include both long term management of emotions and short term heat-of-the-moment emotions (panic attacks, anxiety, anger, etc.). I share these methods in my social media and this website because I think of these as life skills. Gatekeeping isn’t needed. Practicing them inside and outside sessions will allow us to go further into our work together.
Modalities
The majority of it is person-centered, and I strongly believe you are the expert on yourself. But I tend to lean on the cognitive-behavioral side during our talk therapy too depending on the situation and your own therapy goals. You might have heard of “CBT” and that’s what that acronym means. Generally speaking, it assumes that thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and our resulting actions are all connected.
I’m also currently being trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy which has been shown in many past and recent studies to be effective in processing many types of trauma.