Dominic Ong

Hello, and nice to meet you. I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California. I'm a first-generation Malaysian-Chinese, an openly gay man, and a lover of all beverages. Although my specialty is relational, I approach any issues from a personal relationship with it. My chosen pronouns are "he/his/him."

My approach

I have experience working with multiple ages and lifestyles from children/adolescents, individual adults, couples, and families, and with different concerns such as addiction, trauma, grief/bereavement, LGBTQ+, and mood disorders (including anxiety and depression.) I’ve worked in the mental health trenches of County mental health and community-based non-profit organizations. I take a systematic approach to my treatment and ensure that my clients are well-informed about the therapy process. I want to work collaboratively with you and see how we can not only improve where we are now but invest in what we can do to prevent this in the future. My session approach is by being an authentic and genuine person, and you will receive high-quality professional service without stiff “therapy” in-betweens.

My focus

Although my training and experiences allow for treating multiple conditions and ages, I prefer working with adults on anxiety, trauma, and addictions.

My communication style

Most clients have told me that my sessions are almost conversational like you were chatting with a good friend at the local coffee shop. I believe that having a trusting relationship with your therapist is the driving force to recovery - so I'm not about being "The Expert"; instead, I'm here to support/cheerlead/celebrate your successes.

My goals for you

My clients often feel they have accomplished more than they set out to start with initially. Most clients feel like their initial issue was alleviated but also have a better understanding of the "why" it happened - I find that this perspective is crucial, so we don't fall into the same patterns in the future. I tend to work on other goals gradually that I see are on the horizon as we continue our work. And, of course, checking in to see if that's what you want to work on.

My first session with you

The first session can be a little intimidating overall. I get it, you don't know me, and I don't know you. I try to get through all the legal requirements and paperwork, so we can get to the real meat and potatoes of why you're here. Again, my approach is to keep things conversational/casual, allowing us to get comfortable while I'm asking any personal questions.