Lola’s Story:

Lola was born in a city amidst the emerald green plains of northern China. She has lived and studied in Chicago, Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Madrid and London. Her experience of so many cultures led to her identifying as a global citizen, rather than any one place. 

Identifying as Queer while being from a very conventional culture led to a long period of deep soul-searching and self-analysis. Lola understands firsthand how it feels to articulate issues of identity, intersectionality and social belonging. 

Her professional experience has also been broad and deep:

• Worked at LegalAid with juveniles sentenced to life in prison; she saw how unjust and dismissive the legal system can be. She worked with attorneys prepared for resentencing hearings

• Community-based therapist in the South Side of Chicago; she worked with people from underserved communities, helping them to address both the practical and emotional issues that result from oppression and marginalization

• Child advocate in the immigration system; Lola worked with a non-profit to help children crossing the border without a legal guardian, ensuring they were treated fairly and compassionately

• Evaluator for immigration court to assess the impact of trauma on asylum-seekers, survivors of domestic violence, sex- or human-trafficking

• Created online support groups for Queer-identifying, Chinese-Speaking population and individuals on the autism spectrum, enabling them to have both a voice and a community

Lola’s personal experience, as well as her empathy and keen sense of social justice uniquely qualify her to help individuals struggling with the complex issues that surround race, sex, and cultural identity, and the anxiety, isolation and depression that can result from these. 

If you are looking for an empathetic therapist who deeply understands the unique issues you are facing as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, a person of color, an immigrant, or someone suffering from the social and personal side effects of a personality disorder or a big life transition, Lola will work tirelessly with you to address these challenges and achieve the inner peace and acceptance you are searching for. 

(*currently not accepting new clients)

Contact us today to schedule an appointment with Lola’s team

If you would like to interview Lola, discuss collaboration opportunities, seek consulting services, email lola@figtreechi.com.