Today we’d like to introduce you to Andres Chou.
Hi Andres, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a clinical psychologist in Pasadena. My life’s passion has been to help people who are struggling navigate life’s ambiguity to find healing, growth, and connection. My story starts in Argentina, where I was born. My parents had moved there from Taiwan to pursue some new opportunities and, perhaps, adventure. As I reflect on it, I’m amazed by the amount of courage (or even naivety) my parents had to move to a country where they knew very little of the language and culture. I’m even more amazed that they did it a second time when they moved to the Los Angeles area, where we have lived ever since.
Many people are curious and, more often than not, confused when they meet me because I am an Asian-American man with a Spanish name living in the United States. This intersection of different cultures would come to define my identity as a “third culture kid.” A term used to describe individuals who live cross-culturally that often have a hard time building their own identity within that culture. This was the case for me. I never felt that I quite fit in. I wasn’t “American” enough nor was I “Asian” enough. Even though this led to a lot of challenges, it ultimately helped to form who I am today.
This intersection of culture is evident in my work as a psychologist. I love walking with people on their journey toward healing and acknowledging all the ways they feel different or “othered” while also helping them to embrace their unique qualities as strengths to be celebrated.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It had always been my dream to become a psychologist. I remember my first clinical class in graduate school. We were split up into dyads so we could practice basic clinical and therapeutic skills. My partner kept tearing up during our practice, and she told me that I had a natural way about me that put her at ease. In that moment, I no longer felt like I was that “third culture kid” who didn’t quite fit. Instead, I felt like I had found my home as a therapist.
Although that was a pivotal and affirming moment for me, the rest of the journey has been filled with numerous twists and turns. There were many moments of defeat like when I was initially placed on the waiting list for my doctoral program or when I did not match on the first try for a predoctoral residency. However, those moments were followed by several triumphs, such as being accepted for coveted positions at prestigious hospitals and having my dissertation research recognized for its contribution to diversity and social justice.
Most professionals do not share that much about their perceived failures or shortcomings, but I openly discuss the bumps in the road with colleagues. Our social media-laden world is full of impossible standards of perfection and unsustainable elation, but much of it is a facade. It’s important to recognize that we’re all imperfect, but that’s what makes us unique and beautiful. I hope to celebrate that beauty in all my clients.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Andres Chou, PsyD – Psychological Services?
I’m now a psychologist in private practice, providing therapy and psychological assessment. As a therapist, I specialize in Asian-American mental health concerns as well as working with people from a faith-based backgrounds. I also provide psychological assessment services for adults for attentional/ADHD and emotional struggles as well as and clergy/ordination evaluations. When it comes to areas of focus, I provide therapy for depression, anxiety, life transition, relational problems, and trauma.
I’m most interested in recognizing each person’s unique struggles. We live in a world of managed care where large insurance corporations dictate the course of treatment. I want to see each person’s personal story and help them in very specific ways; I don’t believe in “cookie-cutter” solutions or approaches.
What makes you happy?
I have no fancy answers here. My faith, my work, and my family bring me happiness.
I really do mean it when I say that being a psychologist is my life’s passion and calling. It’s not just a job to me. Of course, there are moments that feel like work (nobody LOVES administrative duties), but I love guiding people through their pain toward healing.
Then there’s my family, especially my immediate family. I was listening to a podcast recently, and the host said something that struck me. He said that his children didn’t increase the amount of love in his life, but his children increased his capacity for love. That’s how I feel about my wife and son. They continue to increase my capacity for love over and over again.
As for my faith, it grounds me and centers me. It humbles me when I get ahead of myself and lifts me up when I’m feeling low. I would be nothing without my faith in God, or more accurately, God’s faith in me.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.andreschou.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreschoupsyd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andreschoupsyd
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/andres-chou-psyd-pasadena
- Other: https://g.page/r/CSHVjktxDN5dEAE
