Christopher Lum, LCSW

Christopher Lum is a licensed clinical social worker with 15 years of experience. He draws on mindfulness, self-compassion, and practical cognitive approaches to help people manage grief, addiction, depression, and major life transitions. He also pays close attention to cultural context and identity when working with concerns that touch on belonging and family expectations.

He grew up navigating multiple cultures and later studied AAPI Studies and psychology. Those experiences shaped his focus on the needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander people and other BIPOC communities. He has volunteered on community health projects and taught cognitive-behavioral skills in group settings during training.

After earning a Master of Social Work, he worked with veterans experiencing homelessness and people in psychiatric inpatient care. Currently he practices as a medical social worker in emergency and outpatient settings at VA and Kaiser institutions in California. Much of his clinical work has involved supporting older adults through dialysis, end-of-life decisions, caregiving stress, and placement conversations.

His personal recovery and lived experience inform his style. He understands pressures tied to perfectionism, cultural expectations, addiction, social anxiety, and identity conflicts. In sessions he combines straightforward skills practice with compassionate attention to inner critical voices.

Clients can expect a culturally aware, down-to-earth approach that addresses mood disorders, isolation, family of origin issues, hospice and end-of-life concerns, and self-worth. He invites people to explore practical steps for change and deeper sources of resilience.

How therapeutic approaches shape online care

Christopher blends mindfulness and practical cognitive work to help people manage mood, addiction, grief, and life transitions. Mindfulness practices teach simple attention and breathing skills to calm the nervous system and reduce reactivity in stressful moments. Cognitive approaches help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try small behavioral experiments to test new ways of coping.

He also integrates self-compassion practices that focus on softening harsh self-criticism and building kinder inner dialogue. These techniques are often useful for people carrying guilt, shame, or the pressure to meet family expectations. The goal is to combine skills training with attention to cultural background and identity concerns.

Choosing the right approach happens together. The therapist will work collaboratively to match methods to the person’s goals, needs, and preferences and will adjust methods over time based on what is helpful.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online care can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also let people continue care while managing caregiving duties, work schedules, or mobility limits without requiring a commute.