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, LCSW
She/Her | Therapist & Founder
Availability: accepting new Aetna and private pay clients
Aviv Rouda, LCSW
They/She | Therapist
Availability: accepting 1-2 new Aetna or private pay clients
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 the San Jose, CA area (Downtown Campbell) & Virtual
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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!).
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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
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MA in Asian American Studies
MSW in Social Welfare
Internal Family Systems (IFS) & “parts work”
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing)
Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (advanced assessment & treatment)
Somatic-informed approaches & regulation techniques
ERP (Exposure Response Prevention) for anxiety and OCD
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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
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…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.
Aviv Emma Rouda, LCSW
They/She | Therapist
Serving San Jose, CA (The Alameda) & Virtual
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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.
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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
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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
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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)
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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.