Meet Angela Sim
Hello! I am writing this from my home office on a beautiful summer Monday morning in the city of Minneapolis. Since our offices are located on the other side of the river, I like to think I get the privilege of building community and getting to know two wonderful cities all at once.
To share a little bit about myself - I am a pre-licensed therapist here at The Family Development Center and started back in May 2023. As a 1.5 generation Korean American, I find that I work with a lot of AAPI and BIPOC identifying folks, transracial adoptees, and interracial/intercultural couples. A lot of my work is based around supporting those who are exploring all the intersectional and multidimensional parts of our identity and how that impacts the relationships in our lives. One of my favorite parts of this work is seeing someone truly begin to unravel their authenticity and reconcile their need for attachment (as explained by author and psychiatrist Gabor Maté.)
I like to challenge the way mental health has been “treated” historically, especially considering how this work was not originally intended to serve marginalized or minoritized communities. I often support clients with podcasts, readings, and other ways we can look at our lives and the world differently. I try my best to be affirming yet direct and challenge all the polarized thinking we are socialized to have (like ‘is this a BAD relationship for me?’ or ‘I have to either be American or be _’).
In addition to mental health and counseling psychology, I spent a lot of my education playing music and supporting creative/artistic students in pursuing a career in the thing they love most. I still break out my clarinet every week to play in a community band and love connecting with others who share the same passion. I believe there is a lot of healing found in music and it will always be a part of who I am and my work as a therapist.
I plan to write more about my interests and specialties in the future but thought I would start with a brief introduction. I look forward to being a part of the conversation and hearing from all my wonderful colleagues in this space.
