Fremont Therapist Feature: Katina Laib, Christian DBT Therapist

In this blog, I will feature Katina Laib, a Fremont Therapist who specializes in DBT Therapy. Learn more about her fantastic therapy practice in Fremont:

Interview With Katina Laib, Fremont DBT Therapist

What kind of therapy services do you offer?

I offer individual, couples, adolescent, family therapy, and a Christian DBT skills training class. My main therapy approaches are evidence-based therapies of dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based self-compassion, prolonged exposure for trauma, and exposure and response prevention for OCD and anxiety. I utilize Restoration Therapy for some individuals and couples, which is a model that combines attachment, emotion regulation, and mindfulness to empower people to change their behavioral patterns. For my Christian clients, I offer Christian counseling, where we seek God together through Scripture, prayer, spiritual disciplines, and psychology.

Do you provide therapy in Fremont? Do people only see you in office or do you provide online therapy in California?

I have a physical office in Fremont, and I also offer online therapy to residents of California and Florida.

How does your therapy service help people with Trauma?

Safety is the first need for people with trauma. I'm trained to help people establish safety and stability in their body, emotions, thoughts, relationships, and behaviors with dialectical behavioral therapy. This evidence-based therapy has been found to work well for people who have a history of trauma, which leads to problems in living and overwhelming emotions. The goal of dialectical therapy is to build a life worth living, which for many, includes overcoming past trauma that affects present behaviors. I offer a Christian DBT skills group, which is a class that teaches skills to establish emotional and behavioral safety. 

For people who have gained enough behavioral stability, I use prolonged exposure therapy, a highly effective treatment for PTSD that helps people safely approach what they are afraid of due to trauma, process the effect of trauma, and break free from fear. I also work with many clients who don't meet criteria for PTSD, but may have a history of traumatic invalidation, where important people or situations in the past repeatedly or intensely communicated that their characteristics, behaviors, or emotional reactions were unacceptable. This often leads to shame and trauma beliefs such as "I am bad", "I am unloveable," or "I don't belong." I help my clients learn new beliefs through processing and building new experiences that disconfirm those beliefs. 

How do you uniquely help Asian clients in therapy?

Over half of my clients are Asian American. My parents are immigrants from Hong Kong, I was born in the United States, and I grew up

in an immigrant community in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have a deep understanding of working with people in the margins and being in the margin. As a young adult, I lived overseas in China, taught international students overseas and in the U.S., and have worked as a therapist in clinics with mainly Asian, Hispanic, immigrant, or LGBTQ+ populations. My training in prolonged exposure therapy and focus on working with traumatic invalidation helps many of my Asian American clients.

Many of my clients have experienced traumatic invalidation because messages from western and eastern cultures inherently conflict with each other. This often communicates that if they choose to live by one or the other cultural value, there will be something unacceptable about them. Many grandparents and parents of the Asian diaspora have come from a history of trauma, and I work with my clients to identify the intergenerational effects and beliefs that have been passed down to them. In addition, I weave in the concept of dialectics in all my sessions as a dialectical behavioral therapist.

The concept of dialectics is the synthesis of two seemingly opposing things. When my clients learn to integrate dialectics in their lives and relationships, they start to hold and synthesize the tension of opposing values that comes from being bicultural. I obtain regular consultation and attend trainings about working with people of color and marginalized communities. 

What kind of people do you love working with in therapy? 

I love working with Christian women who are trapped in shame and want to experience freedom and grace with themselves, their relationships, and God. My favorite moments in therapy are seeing my clients encounter God and experience his deep love, power, and security in Jesus. 

I also enjoy working with people who want to improve their relationships with their partners, parents, or kids, as well as those who are in the margins and want to work out the intersections of faith, culture, or gender identity. 

What happens during the first therapy session with you? 

I'm big on assessment and getting a proper understanding and effective treatment plan from the beginning. I schedule two 2-hour intake sessions where I assess the client's goals, presenting problems, diagnosis, and history. I then give recommendations on how to move forward in therapy. 

What do you wish people knew about therapy services with you? 

I love being a therapist. I am honored that my clients allow me into their pain and healing. What a joy to see my clients overcome difficulties with courage as they work towards a life of freedom and meaning. Some people tell me that they can't imagine doing what I do because it must be depressing. I tell them, "Actually, I find it energizing and life-giving. My clients inspire me and I learn from them all the time. I feel hopeful because I see my clients getting better." 

How can people contact you to learn more about working with you as their therapist? 

You can visit my website at www.bridgeschristiancounseling.com and fill out the contact me section, or you can email me at katina@bridgeschristiancounseling.com. Then we can schedule a free 15 minute chat to see if we think we are a good fit for each other. 

What would be your top piece of advice for someone looking for a therapist?

Look for a therapist who has done their own work, where you sense that they are living and working towards what they teach in therapy. As one of my favorite professors said, "Clients will only go as far as you [the therapist] are willing to go." 

About the Author, Alex Ly Fremont Therapist

Alex Ly is a Marriage and Family Therapist licensed to practice in Fremont, with a specific focus on serving the Bay Area and Fremont communities. Specializing in trauma therapy, brainspotting therapy, and anxiety therapy, Alex brings a wealth of knowledge and empathy to his practice. His approach is tailored to meet the diverse needs of his clients, offering both in-person therapy in Fremont and online therapy options across California.

Dedicated to advancing mental wellness, Alex employs the latest therapeutic techniques to assist individuals, couples, and families in overcoming their challenges. His work is deeply rooted in a commitment to creating a supportive and understanding environment, where clients can engage in meaningful self-discovery and growth.