Dr. David Wen, PsyD

Hi there. I’m Dr. Wen!

Philosophy

I believe people are experts of their own lives. While I may know more about psychology, you know more about yourself. Therefore, my job isn’t to tell you where to go and what to do. My job is to help you find your goal and the best way for you to get there. I also recognize how difficult it can be to tell a random person about all your traumas, struggles, weaknesses, etc. That’s why my first goal as a therapist is to just listen and try my best to experience things from your perspective.

As I learn about your life, I am open and honest about my understandings and capabilities. I know I have my own shortcomings and can make mistakes so I want you to be an equal participant in the therapeutic process. I invite you to give me feedback about what I do or say, how I say things, or even how my face may look (I tend to be facially expressive). My intention is never to harm you in any way and I can only change what I know to change. By doing this, I hope to build a safe and trusting relationship where we can honestly communicate about all the things in your life.

With a solid relationship, we’re better able to work together to help figure out life. If we can identify an area of your life where your strength shines, then we can find ways to apply it to another area of your life. Through trial and error, we can figure out what you have and what you need to achieve your goals. I believe life is complicated, but it’s also very simple; we are all special, special snowflakes, but we’re all just snowflakes in the end. If we can figure out your life “formula”, then all we have to do is focus on a few variables as opposed to finding new solutions every time a problem arises.

Specialty Areas

anxiety and depression

Life is suffering. We can’t avoid this fact because there are as many special snowflakes as there are people in this world. This means we can’t meet the needs and wants of everyone and inevitably, people go without. My work with people experiencing anxiety and/or depression centers around finding ways to accept reality, and then finding ways to “change” reality. This involves taking time to truly understand our thoughts, feelings, and body. When we are able to accomplish those things, we can then better assess what is more likely happening vs. what could be happening. When we are able to make this shift in perspective, then we can “change” reality (like the old question of whether the glass is half empty or half full).

identity development

My work with people struggling with their identity centers around values. I believe life is an expression of our values. If we can identify our values, then we don’t have to worry about what life throws at us. We will always make the right choice by following our values. Similar to how a successful company has their established values, we can be our own successful company. From our values, we can identify our mission in life, goals we want to achieve, what we need, want, our boundaries, expectations, and all other parts of ourselves.

children and teens

My approach to working with children and teens is built on one core principle: building a strong, trusting relationship. I emphasize this with parents because when a positive and healthy relationship is in place, young people are more likely to open up about their lives and listen to guidance. Beyond building this essential connection, I also equip them with practical skills to navigate life's challenges. This includes developing coping strategies for stress, improving relationships with peers and family, and planning for their academic and personal futures.

families, family therapy

Families are complex and unique systems, and I understand firsthand how challenging it can be to navigate their dynamics while maintaining your own sense of self. In my work with families, I focus on helping members build empathy and understanding for one another. We work together to repair relationships and develop collaborative strategies that ensure everyone’s needs and boundaries are respected.

parenting skills

I truly enjoy working with parents on ways to improve their skills. I’m an 80’s baby so I grew up with sayings that once you become a parent, it will just come to you naturally. This is both true and untrue. True because you will know how to parent, but it will be based on how your parents parented. Untrue because parenting skills, like most skills in life, aren’t “natural”. Skills are learned and improved upon through experience. My goals with parents are to teach them different ways to view situations and work with their children so they can achieve different results.

couples

There's no shortage of advice about love and relationships, but a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. My work with couples is about helping you explore your individual identities so you can then define your shared identity. We focus on developing more effective ways to discuss difficult issues so that both partners feel heard and understood. This creates a safe space for closeness and compromise, allowing your relationship to grow stronger.

Additional Areas of Expertise

Academic Stress and Pressure
Adjusting to Life Transitions
Adolescence
Anxiety
Attention Problems
Child Anxiety
Child Depression
Child Therapy
Depression
Developing Autonomy and Confidence
Discovering Your Identity
Finding Meaning and Purpose
Finding Passion and Creativity
Generalized Anxiety
General Stress of Being Human
Identity
Life Stress
Life Transitions
Low Self Esteem
Persistent Depressive Disorder
Personal Growth
Pre-Teens
Relationship and Communication Difficulties
Self-Care
Self-Criticism
Self-Esteem
Social Anxiety
Stress Management
Struggling to Launch

more ABOUT ME

Hobbies + what I do for fun!

My most recent hobby that I think I could get really good at is carpentry. I like to build things and I’ve been able to build small things from storage boxes, to big things like patio storage benches, to fancy things like mid-century modern styled console tables. I definitely have a long way to go before they look super professional (partly because I don’t have all the right tools), but this is definitely a hobby I plan to continue throughout my life.

Other interests that I recently became more involved with are Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering. I have good friends who are really into both of these and as I’m the type of person who has fun doing anything and anywhere as long as it’s with people, I said, “Sure, I’ll give it a shot.” Needless to say, I’m in! There’s creativity, imagination, role playing, strategic thinking, collecting, the possibility of getting rare cards, so many of my favorite things.

What inspires me about the work I do with patients

I truly feel honored by my clients because I recognize the strength it takes to say to some random person, “Here are all the hidden skeletons I have and all the ways I struggle.” I oftentimes borrow that strength to help me take different perspectives about issues in my own life and find ways to resolve them. Additionally, the work that I witness people do can be a great reminder for me to do the same thing that I may have forgotten about or never thought to do.

favorite QUOTES

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