A young man with a shaved head standing indoors against a plain white wall, wearing a grey sleeveless shirt.

Briefly about me

Hi, my name is Vu—welcome to my practice! I’ve been in the therapy field for over twenty years, initially working in oncology with individuals and families facing cancer, grief, and end-of-life care. These early experiences shaped my understanding that suffering and healing are not just psychological, but also relational, embodied, and deeply human.

Over time, my work expanded to include trauma, chronic pain, relational difficulties, and sexual wellbeing. After exploring many modalities, I now have a special focus on mindfulness-based experiential therapies, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), somatic and pain reprocessing approaches, as well as attachment-informed practices. As both an IFS Therapist and Yoga Teacher, my approach is informed by my continuous professional development and curiosity, that brings together both the mind and body, relational safety, and authenticity.

I draw inspiration from many thinkers and clinicians, including Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Maté, Richard Schwartz, Esther Perel, and Jack Kornfield—some of whom I’ve had the privilege to train with. I believe therapy is not just about reducing symptoms, but about reconnecting with safety, meaning, and a more integrated sense of Self—through understanding, welcoming, and working with all the different parts of who we are.

Two men sitting and smiling at an event, with a blue-lit background and another person in the background.

Training with Bessel van der Kolk

A little more about me…

I was born in Adelaide to Vietnamese refugee parents, and I understand what it means to grow up between cultures, identities, and expectations. In my younger years, I remember trying to push away all my painful memories and experiences, believing that if I ignored them enough, they might disappear. In my teens, I discovered alcohol as a way to numb and escape from what I couldn’t yet understand, which also got me into trouble with the law. Although these experiences were unsettling, they marked the beginning of my interest, in how trauma, pain and protective behaviours show up not only in our minds, but also in our bodies and nervous system.

In my mid-30s, this understanding deepened when I experienced a debilitating back injury that left me mostly bedridden for almost a year. Some days I could only crawl to move around, feeling genuinely hopeless. Surgery was strongly recommended, but I wanted to see if healing might be possible without it. It was when I really started to take a closer look at my internal belief systems, with the help of mindfulness and dr John Sarno’s work, that I noticed a change. Over time, I have experienced significant shifts, that weren’t just physically, but in how I understood and experienced the mind-body connection.

My work and study have since taken me across Australia and overseas, including involvement in and leading foreign aid projects, extensive volunteering, clinical teaching, and lecturing roles—developing training programs, some of which I’ve published on. My interest in trauma and mind–body approaches is shaped not only by clinical training, but also by my own lived experiences of working through my own healing journey.

I maintain a daily meditation and yoga practice, engage in my own IFS and EMDR therapy and supervision, and attend silent retreats regularly. These practices continue to shape not just what I do therapeutically, but how I try to live—with greater presence, curiosity and humility. I also have an interest in Eastern traditions and contemplative practices, including mystical and non-dual experiences—sometimes referred to as non-ordinary states of consciousness. In my spare time, I enjoy running and “trying” to surf, which keep me grounded, humble and connected to nature.

Trainings & Memberships

  • Master of Professional Psychology Monash University

  • Bach Honors of Psychology James Cook University

  • Grad Diploma of Psychology James Cook University

  • Grad Cert in Medicine Sexual Reproductive Health Psychosexual Therapy University of Sydney

  • Bach of Medical Radiation Sciences Radiation Therapy University of South Australia

  • Live trainings with Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Mate, Richard Schwartz & Terry Real

  • Internal Family Systems Institute Training

  • EMDR Accredited Training

  • Schema Therapy Training

  • Psychodrama Training

  • Mindfulness Training Monash University Prof Craig Hassed

  • Gottman Couples Therapy Training

  • Relational Life Therapy Training Terry Real

  • Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) Cancer Research

  • Australian Psychological Society

  • Australian Association of Psychologists

  • Society of Australian Sexologists

  • Yoga Alliance International

  • Yoga Training Mysore India