In this episode, I sit down with clinical psychologist Dr. John Han to explore what happens when a difficult client stirs up our own countertransference—and why choosing not to quit can become a deeply healing moment for both therapist and client.

We also discuss the fear of performance that so often pulls us out of true presence, and share honestly about the unique challenges many Korean Americans face around shame, optics, and staying emotionally authentic. This episode is an invitation to slow down, stay curious, and rediscover the courage to remain in the room when everything in you wants to step out.

Links related to John:

Psychology Today profile

drjohnjhan@gmail.com

New Therapist FAQ on Instagram:

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/newtherapistfaq/⁠⁠

New Therapist FAQ on Facebook:

⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ntfaqpodcast⁠⁠

In this episode, I sit down with seasoned therapist Gary Quan who opens up about a professional regret from early in his career: avoiding wise counsel and letting anxiety and over-productivity drive his work. We explore how fear, isolation, and the Asian cultural pressure to perform can impact even the most well-intentioned clinicians—and what he wishes he had done differently. This candid conversation offers grounding insights for new therapists learning to build sustainable, supported careers.

Links related to Gary:

Asian American Chronicles

California Institute of Integral Studies

Christian Counseling Center

Octave

Daybreak Health

New Therapist FAQ on Instagram:

⁠https://www.instagram.com/newtherapistfaq/⁠

New Therapist FAQ on Facebook:

⁠https://www.facebook.com/ntfaqpodcast⁠

Traditionally, a new therapist seeks out an office space to rent part-time from a more seasoned therapist. Sometimes we get lucky and fill our caseload quickly and all the stars align so that all our clients can see us on one particular day of the week. Sometimes we're not so lucky and we end up paying a lot more for overhead than we expected. Is there a better way?

Yes! Jen Kim, co-founder of Ethera, leveraged many of the disappointments she faced when looking for office space, and put in major work to create a collaborative co-practicing space for therapists to do their work well. She joins me for today's episode and talks about great alternatives to traditional office space. Hope you get inspired!

Ethera's website: www.myethera.com

Email: hello@myethera.com

New Therapist FAQ on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/newtherapistfaq/

New Therapist FAQ on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ntfaqpodcast