Kate Viernes
she/her

www.kateviernes.com | [email protected] | (415) 236-3965
Facebook: ​kate viernes lcsw | Instagram: @katevierneslcsw

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Title: Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Psychotherapist
Languages Spoken: English
Affiliations: Filipinx in Tech
Approaches & Modalities: Empowerment-based, depth-oriented, strength/solution-focused, cultural humility, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and parts work, somatic experience-based

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 I was born and raised on Kānaka Maoli land, on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, to my Filipino immigrant dad from the Cagayan/Ilocos region, and my mom who was born in Hawaiʻi and is also of Ilocana descent—I consider myself “2.5-generation.”

While my parents’ hard work and sheer luck enabled me to grow up comfortably on the islands, when I was in high school, I began to notice the educational, socioeconomic, and political disparities faced by Filipinos (as well as Native​​ Hawaiian people on their own land), especially when compared with our White and East Asian counterparts. For many years, I struggled with my Filipina identity, and my journey was one filled with confusion, otherness, and shame. Along the way, I sought masters’ degrees in Asian American Studies and Social Welfare, feeling called to find liberation within myself and for the communities I studied and worked with. While I have come a long way, I continue to need to check in with myself frequently to stay on this path—I have found that going to my own personal therapy, along with centering frameworks of decolonization, empowerment, and intergenerational trauma/resilience, are essential components to my lifelong healing journey.

I have provided mental health services in school, clinic, and community settings for the past 8 years. I currently have a private online therapy practice where I enjoy working with Filipinx, Asian Americans, and adolescent/adult children of immigrants on many of the challenges that I myself have faced: anxiety, depression, cultural identity, systemic oppression, and relational and intergenerational conflict and trauma. I have also facilitated workshops and support groups on Filipinx and Asian American mental health, racial trauma and COVID-related distress, and parent wellness. I am excited to have recently begun to offer support on perinatal/maternal mental health issues as well as somatic experiencing/embodiment wellness approaches. I am privileged to live and work from home on occupied Tamien Ohlone land (aka San Jose, CA) with my family and dog. I love spending time outdoors, researching my family genealogy, and singing karaoke when I can (especially in the shower and in the car).

While working for a community mental health agency across the Bay, I learned about FMHI-SF and connected to find community with other Filipinx passionate about mental health who were making a difference in reaching the Filipinx community through culturally-relevant care.