Meet Stephanie N. Wong, Ph.D.
I go by “Dr. Wong” or “Stephanie” and use she/her pronouns.
How I show up as a therapist is deeply influenced by who I am as a whole person. In addition to my professional roles as a staff psychologist at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System and an adjunct professor at New York University, I am an Asian American woman, daughter, sister, granddaughter, partner, and friend. I’m a therapist because I know firsthand how profoundly valuable it feels to have a space where I feel seen in all of these different roles. I truly love what I do as a therapist — together, we create space for you to show up fully in all that you are and inspire movement from where you are toward where you want to be. I am invested in honoring how you have navigated life resiliently and co-creating new ways of being that feel expansive and alive.
To show up fully and authentically in my work, I regularly practice what I encourage my clients to do by taking care of myself, my loved ones, and my communities. This often includes baking and sharing comforting foods, running in nature, diving into science fiction/fantasy books, discovering my next favorite restaurant with my partner, and spending quality couch time with my dog.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT IN THERAPY with me?
Our sessions can serve as a home base for you to explore yourself deeply — maybe that looks like gaining insight, trying out new strategies, or feeling all of the feelings. I’m here with you for all of it. Clients and colleagues have characterized my therapy style as authentic, warm, compassionate, and curious.
In therapy, I collaborate with you to develop an individualized treatment plan that applies evidence-based and culturally-responsive practices to best support you and promote recovery. I pride myself in prioritizing mutual consent and respect throughout therapy. This means that we will draw on our collective strengths and areas of expertise to create a treatment plan that you feel truly fits your needs.
My approach to therapy integrates many years of working with diverse populations in cultivating specialty skills in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Relational-Cultural Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT), as well as psychodynamic and mindfulness-based approaches. When applicable, I will provide resources tailored to our work together, from book recommendations to videos to research articles. Additionally, I may suggest work outside of therapy that can help bring the skills you learn in session into your daily life.
experience
CREDENTIALS
2019 | Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, New York University
2014 | M.A., Ed.M., Psychological Counseling, Teachers College, Columbia University
2012 | Americorps Member, City Year Boston
2011 | B.A., Psychology and Economics, Cornell University
SPECIALTY EXPERIENCE
I completed my APA-accredited predoctoral internship and my postdoctoral fellowship specializing in the treatment of PTSD and complex trauma at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System.
I have been providing therapy for 10+ years and I have worked in a wide variety of settings, including college counseling centers, intensive outpatient programs, residential trauma treatment programs, psychiatric emergency rooms, inpatient psychiatric units, and outpatient eating disorder programs. I am actively involved in research focused on the provision of culturally-responsive and anti-oppressive treatments for trauma recovery in marginalized communities.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Floro, M., Wang, J., Wong, S.N., Estrellado, J., & Rider, N. (in progress). Queer Asian American Sexualities. In Estrellado, J. & Rider, N. (Eds.), Queer Asian Americans.
Wong, S.N. & Cheng, H.L. (in progress). Decolonizing Asian bodies. In Cheng, H.L. and Tsong,Y. (Eds.), Body Image and the Asian Experience: Asians, Asian Americans, and Asian Diasporas Across the Globe.
Floro, M., Wong, S.N. (2023). Queer Communities and Patriarchal Violence: Healing Through Interpersonal, Cultural, and Systemic Work. In H.W. Wilson & Khan, C.T. (Eds.), Facing Campus Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence with Courage: A Guide for Institutions and Clinicians on Prevention, Support, and Healing. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing, 169-184.
Okazaki, S., Ling, A., Wong, S.N., & Tu, M. (2016). Cross-cultural assessment and research. In S. Kelly (Ed.), Issues in Couple and Family Psychology: Across Socioeconomics, Ethnicities, and Sexualities. New York: Praeger, 423-451.
Specialty training and certifications
I have engaged in specialty trainings and certification programs in evidence-based therapy and integrative healing in my work with Stanford University, New York University, Teachers College Columbia University, and the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.
specialty training
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety, Panic, and Depression
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Couples
certifications
Emotionally Focused Therapy Externship (EFT, ICEEFT-Approved)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy - Core Clinical Training (CCT, Treatment Implementation Collaborative)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT for PTSD)
Prolonged Exposure (PE for PTSD)
Certified Yoga Teacher 200-Hour (YogaX at Stanford Psychiatry, RYS-200)