Vivian “V” Pham is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a focus on expressive arts therapy. V’s style is relational, playful, and honest, incorporating the arts to allow for a multi-modal, creative process of curiosity and healing. This can include drawing, painting, collaging, journaling, poetry, movement, listening to or making music, and more. This approach can be especially useful for youth and teens who are less comfortable with verbal self-expression.

V received an M.A. in Counseling Psychology, with a concentration in Expressive Arts Therapy, at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. V participated in a pre-practicum placement with the GLIDE After School Program in the San Francisco Tenderloin, utilizing arts and crafts for socio-emotional regulation for youth ages 8-11. V went on to complete a practicum placement with Bay Area Community Resources (BACR), providing individual, group, and family therapy to teens at Acalanes High School in Lafayette, and later at Helms Middle School in San Pablo. V also founded and led LGBTQ groups at both school sites.

Working with adults and children/teens, V draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Expressive Arts, Somatics, Mindfulness, and Internal Family Systems/Parts Work frameworks. Their approach integrates evidence-based practices with expressive modalities to help clients gain agency over their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors while cultivating unique strengths and self-expression. With a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and responsive lens, V supports adults in developing self-expression, living authentically, improving communication, and setting boundaries.

Experienced in addressing depression, self-harm, suicidality, ADHD, anxiety, perfectionism, low self-esteem, emotional dysregulation, grief and loss, divorce, complex trauma and abuse, disordered eating, sleep issues, and identity development, V brings a compassionate and skilled perspective to therapy. A particular passion lies in working with the LGBTQ+ population and creative or gifted children. In addition, V is training to become certified in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and offers parent coaching. This model helps parents support emotional regulation, manage tantrums and power struggles, and build cooperation and listening skills in their children.