Hi There, I'm Liz
As a queer, second generation Vietnamese American psychotherapist, I warmly welcome those who are ready to step into empowerment, embody confidence, and reconnect with a deep, inner calm.
I view each person as a unique, living garden that is complete with your own distinct strengths, protection mechanisms, history, and natural rhythms. I serve as a collaborative gardener for your inner life. We will take notice of what is in your garden on the surface level, while also exploring and healing the root systems.
In our sessions, you'll find real human connection, compassionate honesty, and plenty of humor (because laughter is an essential emotional medicine). Together, we strive to regulate your nervous system, unhook from self doubt, and rewrite the script handed to you. I will support you as we find what helps your body feel calm, your voice clear, and your life truly your own.
Beyond the Couch
Californian at Heart: Raised in SoCal, now living life in NorCal
Dog Mom: Proud human to two energetic German Shepherds
Hobbies: Being in nature, playing piano, cooking, baking, gardening, and arts and crafts (though I can never stick to just one!)
Why "Fruitea Therapy"?
In many Asian households, offering fresh cut fruit and warm tea is how we show love, welcome guests, and care for one another. It is a timeless ritual of hospitality, connection, and intentional rest.
Fruit and tea come directly from the earth, they require deep roots, patience, and nourishment to bloom. They are also crafted from a rich blend of distinct flavors, just like the complex mix of history, culture, generational patterns, and identity that make you who you are.
I chose the name Fruitea Therapy to create a warm, soulful space where you can sit down, drop your shoulders, and bring your whole self as you are so that we can cultivate an inner world that feels balanced, nourished, and uniquely yours.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."
- John A. Shedd
Clinical Specialties
✧ EMDR Therapy: As an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, I specialize in helping clients process painful memories, drop the physical weight of past trauma, unhook from negative core beliefs, and give the mind and body space to reset. Healing isn't one-size-fits-all. Whether working together virtually or in a hybrid structure, we will explore the forms of bilateral stimulation that feels most comforting and regulating for your nervous system. Options include visual eye movements, handheld tactile buzzers, self tapping, auditory tones or music, art and drawing, or rhythmic movement during outdoor Walk-and-Talk sessions.
→ Learn More About EMDR Therapy
✧ Somatic Therapy & Somatic EMDR: As a Somatic EMDR Practitioner, I integrate somatic approaches directly with EMDR to help you track bodily sensations, release stored stress, relieve chronic tension, and cultivate deep internal safety from within. Somatic work isn't about forced intensity—it's about learning the subtle language of your nervous system at a pace that feels safe. In our sessions, this might look like:
Noticing where your body holds stress (like a clenched jaw or tight toes) and using gentle grounding tools to ease it
Combining EMDR bilateral stimulation with body tracking so memories process out of your nervous system, not just your thoughts
Practicing physical discharge such as sighs, movement, or stretches to signal to your brain that the danger has passed and you are safe in the present moment.
→ Explore Somatic Therapy
Depending on your unique goals, our sessions may also integrate elements of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), The Gottman Method for couples, and Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP — coming Fall 2026).
I offer virtual sessions across California with local outdoor hybrid sessions in designated regions such as surrounding areas of Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville, El Dorado Hills. Sessions in Orange County (Garden Grove, Westminster, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, and other surround areas) can be scheduled well in advance as I am primarily located in Northern California.
Licensure
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California (LMFT #149993)
Specialized Certifications & Advanced Training
EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist: EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)
Somatic EMDR Therapy Certificate: The Embody Lab
Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP): TBA
Education
Master’s Degree: Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, Touro University Worldwide
Bachelor's Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (minor in Health Science), California State University of Fullerton
Integrative Frameworks & Professional Associations
Informed Frameworks: Drawing principles from Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Gottman Method Relational Care
Professional Memberships: EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)
Directories I can be found on:
EMDRIA
Psychology Today
Asian Mental Health Collective
LinkedIn
Headway
Credentials
© 2026 Elizabeth Ngoc Nguyen, LMFT. All rights reserved.
Elizabeth Ngoc Nguyen, LMFT #149993
elizabeth.nguyen@fruiteatherapy.com
(657) 233-1833
10265 Rockingham Dr Ste 100 PMB 6065
Sacramento, CA 95827-2566
⚠️ Mental Health Emergency? This practice does not offer crisis services. Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or dial 911 immediately.
The Board of Behavioral Sciences receives and responds to complaints regarding services provided within the scope of practice of marriage and family therapists. Contact: www.bbs.ca.gov or (916) 574-7830.