Charlene Zhen

Hi, I’m Charlene. As a clinician and a child of immigrants, I have a particular interest in working with people of color navigating intergenerational trauma, complex family dynamics, and questions of cultural identity. Before becoming a clinician, I worked in corporate and start-up environments. That experience gave me a deep understanding of the stress, burnout, and pressures of perfectionism that often come with a fast-paced, demanding career. I see therapy as a collaborative process. You are the expert on your experience, and I’m here to help you make sense of the patterns, questions, and emotions that surface along the way. Therapy can be a space to explore what’s underneath and begin to move toward something more aligned and fulfilling. I provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where all parts of you are welcome—even those that feel conflicted, uncertain, or hard to talk about. Therapy isn’t about “fixing” you; it’s about creating space for you to understand yourself more fully and empowering you to make decisions about your life with greater awareness. My approach is grounded in psychodynamic therapy, which means we’ll explore how your early relationships, cultural background, and past experiences continue to shape your present thoughts, emotions, and patterns. Together, we’ll look beneath the surface to uncover what keeps repeating, what feels stuck, and what’s been hard to name or sit with. I also work with couples who are feeling disconnected, stuck in conflict cycles, or struggling with communication. Therapy can help you navigate cultural dynamics, life transitions, and long-standing patterns to better understand each other and strengthen your connection.