Who is Dr. Nina Nguy?

Hi there! I’m Dr. Nina Nguy (pronounced “n-wee”) (PSY24104), a Vietnamese-speaking Clinical Psychologist in Orange County. My family is ethnically Chinese, but we have lived in Vietnam for several generations. I am a 1.5-generation immigrant, which means I was born in Vietnam and escaped the Communist government by boat with my family. I have memories of the trauma of that journey and our year in a refugee camp in Indonesia. I spent my primary school years in America, longing to fit in with the American kids around me. I understand the expectations to be one way at home and the pressure to be the complete opposite at school.

For years, I struggled with feeling like a fraud and a disappointment—not “Asian enough,” but also not “American enough.” It’s taken immense effort, therapy, and self-discovery to untangle these conflicts and make peace with my identity. And it’s this journey that fuels my passion for helping others.

What I’ve come to realize is that I am a cycle breaker. This isn’t just what I help my clients with; it’s my lived experience. Being a cycle breaker is especially meaningful to me in two areas: romantic relationships and parenting.

In my own life, I’ve worked hard to create a healthy, connected marriage that’s not defined by the dysfunctional dynamics I saw growing up. As a parent, I am intentional about raising my children differently—fostering open communication, understanding, and worth. I am a proud mother of 3 sweet, loud boys, one of whom is 2E (twice exceptional). I know firsthand how challenging and rewarding it is to break generational cycles of neglect and shame, and to model healthier ways of loving and parenting for future generations.

How Therapy With Me Can Help You

My personal and professional experience as a cycle breaker drives me to help individuals straddling multiple identities and wanting to break their own cycles of hurt . If you’ve ever felt stuck in negative patterns of behaviors, or caught between cultures or generations, I can help you find clarity and peace. Together, we’ll work to:

• Access and connect with disavowed parts of yourself so you can feel whole.

• Break the pattern of negative thoughts and knee-jerk reactions.

• Repair relationships and make peace within yourself and with loved ones.

• Build bridges between cultural expectations and your authentic self.

What Makes Me Different as a Therapist

Here’s what you can expect when working with me:

• Interactive Sessions: I don’t just nod my head, say “mm-hmm,” and parrot back what you say. I will teach you skills to feel better and change your situation. I will help you see experiences from perspectives you didn’t know existed.

• Emotional Safety: You do not have to take care of me. I am someone you can disagree with or fall apart in front of without fear of being “too much.” I’ve had years of my own psychotherapy and psychoanalysis to be healthy and resilient. Not only can I handle it; I can transform those moments of relational breakdowns into therapeutic breakthroughs for you.

• Transparency and Authenticity: You will know where I stand because you’ll see it on my very expressive face! This is especially comforting for people prone to anxiety about what others think of them.

• Constructive Challenges: I will call you out if I feel like something you’re doing (or not doing) is hindering progress toward your goals. I’m not afraid to say things you might not want to hear but need to hear. A previous patient put it best: “You have a way of telling me I’m wrong without making me feel bad.”

• Transformation: Most of my patients who complete treatment report feeling like different people—and in some cases, looking like different people, too because they take better care of themselves. They’re physically, mentally, and emotionally healthier. These changes last and my work with them is fondly remembered as evidenced by the referrals I received from them, often years after their treatment ended.

Fun facts about Dr. Nina Nguy

• I was born a Lefty but forced to be a Righty growing up, so now I’m ambidextrous!

• I love going mud whompin’ and off-roading, especially in the rain.

• Rain makes everything more fun and memorable—I’ll do almost anything in the rain!

• I’m also a licensed manicurist and certified massage therapist. I worked as both to help pay for college and grad school.

• I love eating “interactive” meals (hot pot, DIY spring rolls) because they turn a meal into an experience.

Education & Qualifications

• Advanced Core Skills in Emotionally Focused Therapy (working towards certification)

• Certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)

• Completed certification program to conduct psychological evaluations for immigration court

• Certification in Perinatal Mental Health from Perinatal Support International (PSI)

• Psychoanalysis Training at Newport Psychoanalytic Institute – completed two years of coursework, case consultation, clinical supervision, & personal psychoanalysis

• Supervisor for doctoral psychology students’ clinical work

• Taught Human Diversity & Intercultural Processes at CSPP at Alliant International University for 3 years.

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology, an accredited program by the American Psychological Association (APA)

• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of San Francisco, Summa Cum Laude

Want to learn more about my story and why I became a psychologist?

Click here to read my interview with VoyageLA.

Contact me at (626) 991-2099 for your free 15-minute phone consultation for in-person or online therapy in California.