Therapist Hannah Piol Gao
Hi, I’m Hannah,
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in the state of California.
My additional certifications in working with trauma, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal therapy further equips me in the work I do with individuals, couples, and families.
For over a decade, I’ve worked with individuals across different life stages and in a variety of settings to encourage them towards healing, and to author their own identity development.
As a first-generation Filipina immigrant, I am familiar with the process of translating not only my language, but my entire self and identity in order to navigate across spaces unfamiliar to me and unfamiliar with me. I enjoy working with people as both their interpreter and advocate to find the right words to express who they are to the world around them.
The Catholic influence in my country of origin paired with the immersion in Christian community culture through college ministries challenged me in my identity as I struggled to find my place as a woman of color in predominantly majority-culture spaces. It was a liberating experience to find my own voice and flourish within a community upon finding a ministry that specialized in exploring the key role of intersectionality and cultural identity in the way we experience God. I no longer had to be limited to the story others told me about myself. I had the freedom to admit to and explore my experiences of generational trauma, marginalization, and microaggressions. Allowing myself to do so made way for the space not just to grieve but to finally recognize and celebrate the process of overcoming them. The deconstruction and reconstruction of my cultural identity is what kept me grounded in the years beyond college where my faith had to inevitably grow beyond its pre-set labels and structure to keep up with the growth I chose to experience in my own life. As I rediscovered myself, I rediscovered a faith that embraced all aspects of that self.
In my experience, I’ve found that what remains consistent for each person no matter their family dynamics, language, or cultural background is the power of self-narrative and the healing space that therapy can offer. I take great joy and honor in being able to walk alongside others—not just as a professional but as a fellow human being. I sincerely believe that your story is worth listening to, and listening to in its wholeness.
