Kate and Emma working by Kate Viernes

Meet Our Therapists Committed to Healing and Social Justice for BIPOC, Queer, and Other Marginalized Communities

We believe healing grows from connection, respect, and social justice. Our therapists support new parents, those healing from trauma, and anyone exploring their identity with care rooted in cultural humility and liberation.

Our team

Kate Viernes headshot by WMN Designs

Kate Viernes, LCSW

She/Her | Therapist & Founder

Emma Rouda headshot by Emma Rouda

Emma Rouda, LCSW

They/She | Therapist

Rooted in Social Justice, Guided by Trauma-Informed Care

So much of the pain we carry today comes from the systems we live under—colonization, capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy, ableism, and transphobia to name a few. These forces shape how we see ourselves, how safe we feel, and how connected we are to others.

As therapists, we’re trained in Western mental health models. We value these tools, but we also know they’re not the whole picture. Healing from systemic harm takes more than just talk therapy—it takes community, care, and conscious practice.

That’s why we center our work on those most impacted:

BIPOC, especially AAPI and Filipinx communities

Queer, trans, and non-binary folks

New parents and those doing deep inner-child or intergenerational healing

We offer therapy, group spaces, workshops, trainings, and speaking engagements designed to help you reconnect with yourself, your story, and the world around you. And we do it all through a decolonizing, affirming lens.

Kate Viernes, LCSW

She/Her | Therapist & Founder

Serving San Jose, CA (Cambrian) & Virtual

Kate Viernes headshot by WMN Designs

  • I’ve held space for individuals and group support for over ten years. The deep sense of kapwa and connectedness I feel with those I’ve worked with fulfills me in ways that are hard to describe. I learn just as much from my clients as they do from me.

    I see myself in my clients—and that recognition of our shared humanity is what makes me a grounded, affirming, and trustworthy partner in your healing and self-exploration.

    My style is warm and relatable. We may not be friends, but don’t be surprised if it feels that way after working together for a while (and know that I probably feel that way about you, too!).

    • Intergenerational healing

    • New parent & perinatal adjustment (depression, anxiety, grief, rage, fertility/adoption trauma, etc.)

    • Cultural identity & systemic/internalized oppression (Filipinx, AAPI, BIPOC, children of immigrants)

    • Life transitions (early adulthood, parenthood, grief and loss)

    • Burnout & anxiety in helping, nonprofit, creative, and activist spaces

    • Teen & adolescent support

    • MA in Asian American Studies

    • MSW in Social Welfare

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS) & “parts work”

    • Basic training (21 hours) in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy - EMDRIA certification expected November 2025

    • Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (advanced assessment & treatment)

    • Somatic-informed approaches & regulation techniques

    • ERP (Exposure Response Prevention) for anxiety and OCD

    • A new or new-ish parent looking to break cycles of intergenerational trauma

    • A Filipina/o/x who struggles with not feeling [fill in the blank] enough

    • Curious about self-compassion, but don’t know how to get there (yet!)

    • On a decolonizing journey and needing support along the way

    • From Hawaiʻi too—and yep, I’ll probably ask what high school you went to

  • …and before I had a spouse and kids, I taught English to junior high school students as an Assistant Language Teacher in Okinawa, Japan. That experience continues to shape how I connect with people today.

Emma Rouda, LCSW

Emma Rouda headshot by Emma Rouda

They/She | Therapist

Serving San Jose, CA (The Alameda) & Virtual

  • Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a certified survivor advocate. I taught about consent, healthy relationships, and sexual health—and supported survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner abuse, stalking, and harassment in schools and communities. I helped people recognize abuse, understand their rights, and begin cultivating safety, healing, and hope.

    In recent years, I’ve provided therapy and led support groups for new moms, pregnant folks, and people navigating fertility struggles. My style is casual, collaborative, and empowering. I care deeply about naming and de-stigmatizing the experiences that are too often silenced or shamed—because healing starts when we bring those stories into the light.

    • Codependency, boundaries & relationship challenges

    • Sexual trauma & intimate partner abuse

    • Queer, questioning, trans & non-binary support

    • Allyship/accompliceship support for people with privilege

    • Burnout from activism, caregiving, or emotional labor

    • Pregnancy, postpartum, and new parenthood

    • Fertility-related challenges

    • Panic attacks and anxiety

    • Polyamory and kink-affirming therapy

    • Supporting people new to therapy

    • MPH in Public Health

    • MSW in Social Welfare

    • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS) & “parts work”

    • Somatic theory & body-based interventions

    • CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

    • Narrative therapy

    • Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorder (PMAD) assessment and treatment

    • Emotional regulation tools

    • Want to be kinder to yourself

    • Struggle with saying “no” or setting boundaries

    • Feel stuck in your healing and want to try EMDR (more at emdria.org)

  • I’m probably petting a cat, ranting about the lack of functional pockets in women’s clothing, or enjoying chocolate chip pancakes.

Let’s walk this journey together.

You deserve care that sees the whole you. We offer therapy that’s trauma-informed and centered on connection, especially for people and communities who’ve been marginalized.