Allison Lau-Srivastava, Ph.D
I hope this section gives you a sense of who I am, and my path to becoming the therapist I am today. It might help you decide whether or not I might be a good fit for you.
"Meet me in the middle of your story where your soul is worn but wise."
- Angie Weiland-Crosby
My Professional Journey
Who I am as a psychologist is largely informed by my cultural roots. I am a 4th generation Japanese and Chinese American, raised in Hawaii. It wasn’t until I started graduate school that I developed a politicized sense of myself and the world around me. I started understanding my various identities from my target/agent statuses in social groups. Through my professional training and clinical experiences in Washington, Oregon and California, I have developed grounded frameworks of Ecological and Interpersonal theories that inform how I show up as a therapist. This means that each client’s cultural and socio-political statuses and contexts (e.g., race, ethnic background, immigration status, social class, disability, sexual orientation, gender and spirituality) are guiding principles for how I treat “clinical” issues such as depression and anxiety. It means I cannot consider someone’s mental health outside of the (often hurtful and unjust) systems in which we exist
I spent the first decade of my professional life providing clinical services (individual and group psychotherapy) and holding administrative positions in community college and university counseling centers. I conducted research and conducted numerous trainings and workshops in the areas of Asian American mental health, intercultural communication, anti-racism, White privilege, and internalized racism. I have also taught Counseling, Human Development, and Student Development Administration courses at local Community Colleges and Universities. This work largely informs my psychotherapy practice today.
My Role as a Therapist
The intersection of my personal and professional lives brought a halt to college administrative and teaching roles in 2016. My heart kept calling me to my work as a psychotherapist, which would allow me the flexibility to give more breathing space for my own mental health and to grow a partner relationship and a family. Since this time, I have been in private practice full time and feel immensely fulfilled by this career choice. I have since immersed myself in anti-oppression training, as well as supervision and consultation grounded in theories that most match my mission as a therapist. These include Relational Psychodynamic therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP).
My time outside of work is mostly spent nurturing my relationships with my partner and child, as well as those with very close friends and extended family who live both locally and abroad. I also enjoy walking my dog daily, moving my body - exercising and dancing - whenever I can.
Education
University of Arizona, Tucson
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Psychology 2001
University of Oregon, Eugene
Masters of Science (M.S.) Counseling, Family & Human Services 2004
University of Oregon, Eugene
Doctorate (Ph.D.) Counseling Psychology 2007
Allison Lau-Srivastava, Ph.D.
5426 California Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98136
253.693-0837
© 2024 Allison Lau-Srivastava, Ph.D.