WHAT DOEs
MEAN?
Liminal
no longer
liminal
not yet
We’ll be somewhere here together
Liminality in anthropology is the disorienting phase during a rite of passage where participants are between their old and new statuses.
And this defines who I am as a therapist. I will sit with you in the darkness, in the light, and anywhere in between. The point is, I am really dang good at meeting you where YOU’RE at.
My liminal journey
Each therapist's unique journey and personal experiences have shaped their individuality and areas of expertise.
Reflecting on my own path, I realized I navigated through various liminal phases. When my family immigrated to the United States when I was 9, I found myself in a cultural limbo, not fully Korean nor American. In another context, I struggled academically in school despite being diligent and seeking help. Even turning to sports didn't yield much success. It wasn't until my final high school quarter when I TA’ed in a Psychology class that I discovered a subject that truly engaged me. This sparked my academic journey, leading me to earn a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Social Work, and I got REALLY good grades!
Fast forward to years of working in the field of psychotherapy, I started treating more and more adults diagnosed with ADHD. And I began to suspect many of the same symptoms in myself. I got diagnosed with ADHD not too long after that, and the Psychologist said to me, “Kudos to you for surviving this long without a diagnosis and treatment.” Years of untreated ADHD had added to severe burnout, and experiences of anxiety and depression. It all clicked why I started excelling in my education when I found a subject that I was actually interested in.
My story is not particularly unique or uncommon, and I have met so many clients who have shared with me a variation of their liminal spaces with me. This is why I love what I do, and what my clients appreciate about working with me - a therapist who gets it!
“When you shut down emotions, you’re also affecting your immune system, your nervous system. So the repression of emotion, which is a survival strategy, then becomes a source of physiological illness later on.”
-Gabor Maté,
What it’s like working with me
Clients often tell me things like: I’ve never had anyone help me understand my behaviors, symptoms or my past in the way you just did.
As a therapist, I’m most interested in understanding your own felt experience, in order to be able to close a wound that’s been left open. I love being able to provide an empathetic space to explore and process without judgment.
I practice co-regulation and mutuality in therapy.
I prioritize “being with” you in your distress or discomfort, and model regulation. I mindfully use my own breath and embodiment to reciprocally influence each other throughout session.
Building safe and trusting therapeutic relationship is so important and
I can’t wait to see if we’d be a great fit together!
My Background
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW 88785), and received my Master of Social Worker from University of Southern California.
I am trained in EMDR, DBT, CBT, IFS-informed interventions, Somatic interventions, and Motivational Interviewing. I use a combination of therapeutic modalities to tailor to meet the needs of each of my clients.
In the last 10+ years, I’ve worked as a therapist and supervisor in community outpatient clinics.
When I’m not working at my practice, I am training and supervising future therapists, at Concordia University Irvine as a Clinical Supervisor.
KEEP IN TOUCH
madisonpark.lcsw@gmail.com
714-367-6412
IN-PERSON IN ORANGE COUNTY
1000 QUAIL ST. NEWPORT BEACH, CA
I WORK WITH CLIENTS IN ALL OF CALIFORNIA THROUGH VIRTUAL THERAPY
Liminal Therapy Space
