Squishy Panda Psychotherapy | Kammy Kwok PhD

Welcome! I’m Dr. Kammy Kwok (she/her/hers), a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 32792) who works with children, teens, and adults. As an immigrant who identifies as Chinese/Chinese American, I understand the challenges and nuances of navigating two cultures. I have experienced the joys, challenges, and the values of blending and separating my Chinese and American identities. Therefore, I am committed to understanding each person’s unique experiences, various identities (e.g., culture, gender), and the intersectionality of these identities, family values, and belief systems.

Although I am trained as a generalist and am able to treat a variety of issues, I have received specialized training in working with children, teens, and their families spanning more than 15 years in various capacities and settings. Some of these settings include community mental health, schools, managed health care, instructional aide for special education, as well as conducting psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments.

Please note that I am available Monday-Thursday and will respond to calls, voicemails, and emails during these times.

Squishy Panda Psychotherapy Kammy Kwok PhD

Specialties

An important part of having a positive therapy experience is a warm, trusting, and open therapeutic relationship. I aim to build a safe and affirming space where clients can feel seen, heard, and empowered. I am direct, honest, open, and strive to be as transparent as I can in my work, and I aspire to create a space where clients can do the same. I speak Cantonese (廣東話) with native fluency and have experience in providing psychotherapy and parent support in Cantonese. 

I specialize in working with children, teens, and their parents. In my work with children/teens, I am sometimes silly, playful, and use humor (as appropriate). Additionally, I may invite a parent(s) to join sessions or request a separate parent session when clinically appropriate, as parent involvement is essential to the child or teen’s overall treatment. I also specialize in working with neurodevelopmental differences (e.g., autism, ADHD). I believe in helping these individuals find ways to function and flourish in various environments, while helping them maintain their individuality and uniqueness.

I do not take a one-size-fits-all approach as each individual has unique needs. I utilize an integrative approach, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness, as well as other evidence-based treatments when warranted.

I have worked with the following:

  • Autism

  • ADHD

  • Behavioral issues

  • Emotion regulation

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Adjustment Disorder

  • OCD (mild to moderate)

  • Selective Mutism

  • Racial, gender, and sexual identity development

  • LGBTQ+

  • School issues

  • Relationship issues

  • Self-esteem

  • Stress

  • Parent support/strategies

  • Family conflict

What To Expect

Phone consultation:

We will schedule a free 20-minute phone consult to discuss your or your child/teen’s mental health needs and see if we are a good fit. During the consultation, I will ask about your or your child/teen’s history and current concerns. I will also answer any questions you may have and schedule an intake if we are a good fit.

Intake and assessment:

The intake and subsequent 2-3 sessions will be used to assess and explore more in-depth the concerns and challenges that are impacting you, your child/teen, parents, and/or the family. It is important to take some time in the first several sessions to explore what you or your child/teen would like to work on in therapy, and for us to collaborate on a treatment plan tailored to your or your child/teen’s needs.

Important things to keep in mind:

  • Therapy works, but it can be difficult and requires time, effort, and patience. People often feel worse prior to getting better; this does not happen to everyone, but this is a common experience for some people.

  • Therapy is not a “quick fix.” Therapy is a process – it is not always linear, but rather, a process that often fluctuates.

  • Therapy is NOT just individual therapy with your child or teen. Parent participation is essential for you child/teen’s healing.

  • It is strongly recommended to practice skills and strategies outside of sessions, often called “homework,” which can maximize the benefits of therapy.