Cliff Chong, LCSW
he/him
My perspective is fortified by a decade of work in the fields of community health/mental health, domestic violence, homelessness services and prisoner support. As a result, I will view our work from a depathologized/anti-oppressive lens with special attention to neurobiology. Simply put, I am more interested in understanding why certain behaviors and feelings (that you may not be proud of) make sense to you rather than picking apart how "nonsensical" they are.
I'm a licensed clinical social worker in Austin, TX who has been practicing therapy for the past 8 years. My background as a social worker greatly informs how I approach therapy. From working with homeless individuals and folks trying to navigate crises like job loss or intra-family violence, I'm acutely aware that "getting better" is a unique definition that we can both work on defining and then obtaining.
Formative Experiences
2008 Clinician at the University of Central Florida
Being a clinician in a college setting allowed me to grow in a multifaceted way. While a large portion of that time was spent addressing a wide array of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, childhood trauma, addiction, relationship, and existential crises, another portion was providing psychoeducation and support within the context of a diverse student body.
2010-2021 Case Manager/Community Mental Health.
I then worked in a transitional housing program that provided supportive counseling and active case management services to single mothers experiencing homelessness and domestic violence in Central Florida. This experience allowed me to develop a deep understanding of the intersection between class, race, and gender and the challenges presented to my clients who were striving for holistic change for the better. After transitioning to Community Mental Health, I continued deepening my work as both a therapist and emergency resource navigator in Austin Public Health as a Social Worker. This particular role further reinforced my passion for assisting individuals on their journeys to recovery and stability in spite of complexities related to environmental failure.
2021 - Present
I established my private practice with a specialization in complex trauma, anxiety and depression with a particular focus on providing holistic care to BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ communities. My practice is an extension of my commitment to addressing mental health disturbances that are often heavily shaped by harmful environments by offering a safe and inclusive space for curiosity, growth and healing.
What Informs My Work
Frantz Fanon - Black Skin, White Masks
Eduardo Galeano - Mirrors
Peter Kropotkin - Mutual Aid
W. E. B. Du Bois - The Souls of Black Folk
Robert Stolorow, George Atwood, & Bernard Brandchaft - The Intersubjective Perspective
Viktor E. Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning