Holistic Person-Centered Psychotherapy

Somatics – Generational Healing – EMDR – Self-Expression – Creativity – Identity Exploration – Boundaries

Ruby Minji Hwang, MSW, ACSW

Registered Associate Social Worker #103200

ruby@relationalcenter.org
(909) 345-0116

Supervised by Maggie Shelton, LCSW #LCS9581

The Relational Center
2717 S Robertson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034

MORE ABOUT ME

Serving California residents through in-person & virtual telehealth sessions.

My books are currently open.

Working with with me is

Collaborative

Regardless of why you’re seeking therapy, you deserve to have a nonjudgmental space to process your thoughts, feelings, and somatic sensations. I encourage a gentle easing into the work through consent and collaboration.

Embodied

Following the research-backed notion that trauma starts & heals in the body, my work invites you to tap into not only what’s happening around you, but also within your entire organism — mind, body, and spirit.

Relational

Neuroplasticity reminds us that our minds and bodies are always reaching for healing. This therapy space is a vessel to allow what’s already happening within to rise to the surface through the medicine of human connection.

I work alongside creatives, first & second-generation immigrants, women, BIPOC, and those of LGBTQIA+ experience to

heal generational patterns & strengthen relational belonging.

What you can expect —

  • Weekly 50-minute sessions (either virtually or in-person)

  • A collaborative, personalized therapeutic plan

  • Supportive insight through reflections & curious dialogue

  • A non-judgmental processing space with an experienced therapist

  • Helpful tools and skills to apply between sessions

  • An invitation to show up exactly as you are

RELATIONAL THERAPY FOR MODERN TIMES

— consultations include a free 15-minute call to ask questions & learn more about my approach —

Degrees & Certifications

EDUCATION —

PhD Research at Pacifica Graduate Institute, Mythological Studies in Depth Psychology

Master’s of Social Work at Columbia University

Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature at the University of Southern California

Comparative Literature & Art History at New York University

TRAININGS —

EMDR Part I & II at Kase & Co. (Ongoing)

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma Themes

Basic Principles of Somatic Experiencing for BIPOC

Hakomi Essential Skills at The Hakomi Institute of Californa

Advanced Relational Gestalt Training at the Relational Center

72-hour Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Counselor Advocate Training

Q&A

  • My specializations include:

    therapy for creatives & highly sensitive people (HSPs) ✺ self-compassion ✺ boundaries ✺ interdependence ✺ complex trauma (CPTSD) ✺ family dynamics/mother wounds ✺ generational healing ✺ immigration ✺ spirituality ✺ identity exploration

    My primary modalities are:

    somatic work ✺ sensorimotor psychotherapy/hakomi ✺ relational gestalt ✺ ecotherapy ✺ depth/Jungian psychology

  • Individual therapy — $175 per session

    Group therapy* — $200 per session

    *includes families of origin, families of choice, and couples/partners

    Per CA law, you will receive a Good Faith Estimate that approximates the yearly cost of your therapy services at the start of our work and every year from that point on.

  • Although I am not on any insurance panels, I can provide a monthly receipt/superbill for possible reimbursement by your provider.

  • It depends!

    At our first session, you can share your curiosities about the work or talk about your favorite things, and I’ll generally offer a few foundational questions to get us started.

    My highest intention is for us to get an authentic feel for this work, establish our relational dynamic, and slowly start to unpack all that you’re bringing in. I believe in long-term work that builds on a solid therapeutic relationship.

    Over time, you might notice more of a rhythm to our weekly sessions but, as a humanistic therapist, there isn’t really a set structure for us to follow like you’d see in CBT/DBT therapy.

    This is because I don’t see you as a collection of symptoms to be treated. You’re a unique, complex human being and I fully honor that.

    The one thing you can expect consistently is warm, collaborative co-processing & permission to be your full self. In other words, I want our dialogue to feel like you’re talking to a real person. Week to week, I’ll bring in some (appropriately timed) humor, deep compassionate listening, and a humanizing come-as-you-are approach.

  • Consent is a very important part of my practice and I firmly believe that a strong relationship with your therapist allows for the deepest level of transformation.

    As such, I will likely check in with you for the first few weeks of our work together to see how you are feeling about our sessions.

    Generally, the first two sessions are also an invitation for both of us to test the waters.

    At any point in the process, you are welcome to let me know if something isn’t working — I would delight in supporting you to exercise your wise inner voice and make your needs known, whether that means changing things up in our work or helping you find a therapist/practitioner who might be a better fit.

  • My office operates out of Los Angeles but I work via telehealth with wider Orange County, Ventura, the Bay Area, and all California residents.

  • Sessions are offered in English.

    I can also speak conversational Korean, survival Spanish, and very rusty French.

    If you need a therapist who speaks sign, some directories like Inclusive Therapists have a search option for ASL.

Resources

How do I find the right therapist?

It can help to ask questions about a therapist’s background and framework. Some practices offer a free consultation to determine whether it feels like a good fit both ways.

Directories can be a supportive option to find a therapist who offers what you’re looking for.

Here are a few you might like to start with: