Hi, thanks for stopping by! My name is Kish (like the food).

I grew up in the South, the daughter of divorced Chinese immigrants. Stereotypically, my parents and step-parents encouraged me to prioritize academics, promising a future where my life would somehow be better. I did “all the right things” from the perspective of achieving that Asian American dream: graduating from an Ivy League school and landing a lucrative job in tech. While I had achieved my family’s dream, I struggled internally, lacking the happiness, love, and sense of meaning that I longed for. My attachment wounds and self-reliant tendencies limited how deeply I could connect with others. I also realized that programming didn’t give me the kind of direct, human impact that I naturally gravitated towards.

With that in mind, I drastically reoriented my life towards pursuits that ultimately did bring me more happiness, love, and meaning. I spent a year training at a modern Buddhist monastery, got serious about trauma work and healing, and became a relational mindfulness facilitator and coach.

After a few years working as a presence coach for individuals, I became interested in working with couples—both after experiencing the benefits in my own relationship and recognizing how few of us are ever taught the necessary skills for a secure functioning partnership. I was drawn to training in Relational Life Therapy (RLT) with Terry Real because he offers strong frameworks that complement my background in presence.

Outside of coaching, my other interests include swimming, meditating, spending time with loved ones, reading fantasy/mystery novels, and navigating the modern human experience. If you’re ever in Austin, come meet me at the Relateful Austin Studio! I facilitate on Tuesday evenings.