Irene van

About Irene van

In the last couple of years, I have extended my passion and skillset for working with underserved communities by becoming a bilingual Vietnamese Marriage and Family Therapist with a concentration in Drama Therapy. In the past few years, I have gained experience in conducting individual and group therapy in community mental health settings. I have also used drama therapy skills to conduct workshops for activist communities in a wide range of topics, from challenging anti-blackness, homophobia, to addressing historical trauma. I truly believe in the power of integrating art and perfomance and social action as a form of healing. Previously, I have worked in the field of youth development and empowerment in various capacities - as a mentor, workshop facilitator, tutor, and counselor. Here, I facilitated workshops in a wide range of topics: social justice, access to education, healthy sexuality, identity and history, the prison industrial complex, theatre, and poetry. In addition, in my free time, I am an actor and a performing poet for Bad Rep Theatre and QTViet Cafe - Asian American theatre and artist collectives in the Bay Area. Contact me at i••••••••@gmail.com to learn more.

Experience

1. Northern Region Director of Training

   Stars Behavioral Health Group

   Dec 2021 — Present

   Oversee the training department across Sacramento, San Leandro, and Santa Clara offices- Develop trainings based on the needs of each site and in-line with county regulations and standards- Execute DEIA initiatives to improve workplace culture and alignment with social justice values within the company

Education

• California Institute of Integral Studies

  Master's degree, Counseling Psychology

  2016 — 2018

• University of California, Berkeley

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Ethnic Studies

  2007 — 2011