Integrate Health DPC

Integrate Health DPC Launches in Orange County, CA ‘27

2nd-gen, by children of Vietnamese boat people
Direct Primary Care + Therapy
Physical and Mental Health - Under one roof
Trauma-informed MD
For children of immigrants, open to all.

People often ask why a family medicine doctor spends so much time talking about psychiatry, trauma, immigrant health, an...
07/23/2026

People often ask why a family medicine doctor spends so much time talking about psychiatry, trauma, immigrant health, and culture.

The answer is simple: because my patients—and my own life—showed me that health is bigger than a diagnosis.

Medical school and residency taught me how to diagnose and treat disease, but they also left me with questions. Why did stress, childhood experiences, family dynamics, and cultural expectations keep showing up in the stories of people with hypertension, diabetes, insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety, and depression?

As the son of Vietnamese refugees, those stories felt familiar.

That curiosity led me to spend years studying trauma physiology, behavioral health, adverse childhood experiences, and immigrant health. I also explored mindfulness, meditation, and contemplative spiritual traditions—not to replace evidence-based medicine, but to better understand resilience, suffering, and healing.

Dr. Gabor Maté’s work challenged me to ask deeper questions. While I don’t agree with every conclusion he draws, he encouraged me to look beyond symptoms and ask, “What experiences may have shaped this person’s health?” Those questions always brought me back to the scientific literature.

That journey eventually led me to pursue additional training in Primary Care Psychiatry through UC Irvine’s Train New Trainers Program.

I still love treating diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and preventive health.

I just believe the best primary care also asks about sleep, stress, relationships, culture, and the stories that shape our health.

That’s the kind of physician I’m striving to become.

1. Felitti VJ, et al. Am J Prev Med. 1998.
2. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Integrating Primary Care and Behavioral Health Care. 2016.
3. American Psychiatric Association Foundation. Collaborative Care Model.
4. Alegría M, et al. Psychiatr Serv. 2008.
5. Kabat-Zinn J. Clin Psychol Sci Pract. 2003.

“Asian Americans don’t really struggle with addiction.”That’s one of the biggest myths.While Asian Americans generally h...
07/16/2026

“Asian Americans don’t really struggle with addiction.”

That’s one of the biggest myths.

While Asian Americans generally have lower rates of substance use disorders than many other racial and ethnic groups, they’re also among the least likely to seek treatment. In fact, nearly 9 in 10 Asian Americans who need substance use treatment never receive it.

The problem isn’t just addiction.

It’s silence.

Many people continue to work, care for their families, and appear successful while quietly struggling with alcohol, ni****ne, gambling, prescription medications, or other compulsive behaviors.

Addiction isn’t a moral failure or a lack of willpower. It’s a complex medical condition influenced by genetics, brain chemistry, trauma, chronic stress, mental health, and the environments we grow up in.

For many children of immigrants, additional pressures—family expectations, emotional suppression, perfectionism, fear of bringing shame, and balancing two cultures—don’t cause addiction, but they can make it harder to ask for help when life becomes overwhelming.

Recovery is possible.

Evidence-based treatment may include therapy, medications, support groups, and primary care that addresses the underlying emotional pain—not just the addiction itself.

Replacing shame with conversation is one of the most powerful forms of prevention.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. Updated 2024.
National Council on Problem Gambling. Problem Gambling Facts.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). 2022.

Most heart attacks and strokes don’t begin the day they happen.For many people, they begin years—or even decades—earlier...
07/15/2026

Most heart attacks and strokes don’t begin the day they happen.

For many people, they begin years—or even decades—earlier.

Chronic stress activates our body’s survival response. Over time, cortisol can contribute to insulin resistance, elevated blood sugar, increased visceral fat, inflammation, and changes in our arteries. The arteries can gradually become thicker and less flexible, making it easier for plaque to develop and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Diabetes can also damage the tiny blood vessels that nourish our nerves, eyes, kidneys, and heart, leading to complications that often develop silently.

This biology affects everyone. But for many first- and second-generation immigrants, chronic stress may be amplified by navigating two cultures, family expectations, the model minority myth, discrimination, caregiving responsibilities, and rapid lifestyle changes after immigrating to the United States. These experiences don’t determine your future—but they can add to the total stress your body carries.

The encouraging news is that these changes usually happen gradually.

That means we often have years to intervene.

Primary care can identify elevated blood pressure, prediabetes, diabetes, high cholesterol, and other cardiovascular risk factors long before they become life-changing events.

And protecting your heart isn’t only about diet and exercise.

Sometimes it’s getting enough sleep.

Sometimes it’s treating anxiety or depression.

Sometimes it’s taking medication.

Sometimes it’s working with a therapist to process chronic stress and learning to set healthy boundaries that allow your nervous system to finally leave survival mode.

Your mind and body have always been connected.

Treating both is one of the best investments you can make in your future.

McEwen BS. N Engl J Med. 1998.
Hackett RA, Steptoe A. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2017.
American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2026.
Arnett DK, et al. Circulation. 2019.
Boutouyrie P, et al. Circ Res. 2021.

“Stop being so lazy.”For many Asian Americans, that voice doesn’t disappear when we grow up.It becomes the voice that te...
07/14/2026

“Stop being so lazy.”

For many Asian Americans, that voice doesn’t disappear when we grow up.

It becomes the voice that tells us to work harder when we’re exhausted, feel guilty when we rest, and blame ourselves when healthy habits still feel impossible.

But you can’t out-discipline a nervous system that’s stuck in survival mode.

Chronic stress can affect the brain’s ability to plan, regulate emotions, and build lasting habits. Over time, it can also contribute to anxiety, depression, poor sleep, high blood pressure, and metabolic disease.¹⁻³

For many children of immigrants, achievement became safety. Rest felt unproductive. Our parents weren’t trying to hurt us—they were often passing down the survival strategies that helped them endure hardship.

Healing isn’t simply about trying harder. It may include therapy, medication when appropriate, supportive relationships, and sustainable lifestyle changes. Your mind and body heal best when they’re treated together.

Asian Americans continue to use mental health services at lower rates despite significant mental health needs, making culturally responsive care especially important.⁴

Maybe your nervous system wasn’t failing you.

Maybe it was protecting you the only way it knew how.

Sometimes healing begins with a conversation where someone finally listens long enough to understand what your nervous system has been trying to say all along.

1. Arnsten AFT. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2009.
2. McEwen BS. Physiol Rev. 2007.
3. Finlay S, et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2022.
4. Lu FQ, et al. Psychiatr Serv. 2025.

Most people know the term AAPI.Few know it wasn’t originally created for medicine.The term became widely used in the 198...
07/13/2026

Most people know the term AAPI.

Few know it wasn’t originally created for medicine.

The term became widely used in the 1980s to unite Asian American and Pacific Islander communities around shared advocacy, political representation, and civil rights. That history deserves to be celebrated.

But advocacy and medicine have different goals.

Advocacy brings communities together.

Medicine looks for the differences that help prevent disease.

When Asian Americans and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander populations are combined into one category, important health patterns can disappear. Research shows meaningful differences in rates of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, hepatitis B, liver cancer, mental health service utilization, and more. Even within Asian Americans, health risks vary substantially between ethnic groups.

When everyone is averaged together, screening becomes less precise, disparities become harder to recognize, and some communities can be overlooked.

Recognizing these differences isn’t about dividing people.

It’s about delivering more personalized, evidence-based healthcare.

Better data leads to better understanding.

Better understanding leads to better care.

1. Holland AT, Palaniappan LP. Ann Epidemiol. 2012;22(6):397-405.
2. Gomez SL, et al. Cancer. 2024.
3. National Cancer Institute. Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Cancer Research. 2024.

We laugh because so many of these contradictions are instantly recognizable.“Don’t date.”“Why aren’t you married?”“Eat m...
07/10/2026

We laugh because so many of these contradictions are instantly recognizable.

“Don’t date.”

“Why aren’t you married?”

“Eat more.”

“You’re getting fat.”

“Don’t move out.”

“Why aren’t you independent?”

For many children of immigrants, these moments became part of growing up.

Behind the contradictions were parents trying to navigate a new country, a different culture, and opportunities they never had themselves. They weren’t perfect, but many were doing the best they could with the tools they had.

Humor helps us connect, but it also opens the door to conversations that previous generations often couldn’t have.

As a family physician, I’ve learned that understanding our families isn’t about assigning blame—it’s about recognizing how our upbringing shapes our mental and physical health today.

You can appreciate your parents’ sacrifices while also setting healthy boundaries, caring for your mental health, and creating new patterns for the next generation.

❤️ Which contradiction did you hear the most growing up?

1. American Psychiatric Association. Mental Health Disparities: Asian Americans.
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. Mental and Behavioral Health—Asian Americans.
3. National Institute of Mental Health. Caring for Your Mental Health.
4. Sue S, Sue D. Counseling the Culturally Diverse. 9th ed.

The model minority myth is often discussed as a cultural stereotype.I believe we should also start talking about it as a...
07/09/2026

The model minority myth is often discussed as a cultural stereotype.

I believe we should also start talking about it as a public health issue.

When people grow up believing they always have to be strong, grateful, successful, and independent, asking for help can begin to feel like failure. Emotional pain is hidden, appointments are postponed, and treatment is delayed—not because suffering isn’t there, but because many have learned to carry it quietly.

As physicians, we see the consequences every day.

Anxiety.
Depression.
Burnout.
Insomnia.
High blood pressure.
Insulin resistance.
Chronic pain.

Mental and physical health have never been separate.

During National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s worth remembering that some communities don’t experience less mental illness—they experience more barriers to care.

Seeking help isn’t weakness.

It’s preventive care.

You don’t have to earn care by falling apart.

You deserve to be believed before you’re in crisis.

We treat the whole story.



1. Office of Minority Health. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
2. Abe-Kim J, et al. Use of mental health–related services among immigrant and US-born Asian Americans. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2007.
3. Gee GC, Ford CL. Structural racism and health inequities. Du Bois Rev. 2011.
4. McEwen BS. Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators. N Engl J Med. 1998.
5. American Psychological Association. Stress effects on the body. Updated 2024.

Many children of immigrants grew up surrounded by love, sacrifice, and high expectations.For many families, those expect...
07/08/2026

Many children of immigrants grew up surrounded by love, sacrifice, and high expectations.

For many families, those expectations came from a desire to protect their children from the hardships they experienced themselves.

But sometimes, living in constant survival mode can unintentionally shape how children experience the world.

Always being careful.
Always striving.
Always worrying about disappointing others.

Over time, those patterns can contribute to anxiety, perfectionism, difficulty setting boundaries, and chronic stress.

And chronic stress doesn’t just affect the mind.

It can also influence sleep, blood pressure, heart health, blood sugar, and many other aspects of long-term physical health.

Understanding how your upbringing shaped you isn’t about blaming your parents.

Many did the very best they could with the experiences they had.

It’s about recognizing that both gratitude and healing can exist together.

You can appreciate your parents’ sacrifices while also giving yourself permission to care for your own mental and physical health.

Because treating the whole person means understanding the whole story.

Felitti VJ, et al. Am J Prev Med. 1998.
Shonkoff JP, et al. Pediatrics. 2012.
Hughes K, et al. Lancet Public Health. 2017.
Danese A, McEwen BS. Biol Psychiatry. 2012.

One of the hardest parts of preventive medicine isn’t diagnosing disease.It’s asking people to change decades of deeply ...
07/07/2026

One of the hardest parts of preventive medicine isn’t diagnosing disease.

It’s asking people to change decades of deeply ingrained habits.

Take a medication every day.
Exercise consistently.
Sleep differently.
Eat differently.
Quit smoking.
Drink less.
Manage stress.

Those aren’t small requests—they’re life-changing behaviors.

Now imagine trying to do all of that while carrying anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, grief, or overwhelming stress.

For many immigrants and children of immigrants, there’s another layer.

Trust.

Admitting you’re struggling.

Believing it’s okay to ask for help.

These aren’t signs of weakness. They’re real barriers that influence whether someone can take the next step toward better health.

That’s why I believe physical health and mental health should never be treated as separate conversations.

When we understand the whole person—their biology, psychology, culture, family, and lived experiences—we create a stronger foundation for lasting behavior change.

Ultimately, your doctor can’t exercise for you.
Your therapist can’t take your medication for you.
No one else can build your habits.

You do the hard work.

Our job in healthcare is to listen, remove barriers, provide the right tools, and help you believe that change is actually possible.

Prochaska JO, Velicer WF. Am J Health Promot. 1997.
Miller WR, Rollnick S. Motivational Interviewing. 4th ed. Guilford Press; 2023.
World Health Organization. Social determinants of health. 2024.
American Psychological Association. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Depression. 2019.

Many immigrant families taught us to stay strong.To work harder.Complain less.Carry more.Those lessons often came from l...
07/06/2026

Many immigrant families taught us to stay strong.

To work harder.
Complain less.
Carry more.

Those lessons often came from love—and from survival.

But the same pride that helped previous generations endure war, poverty, displacement, discrimination, and uncertainty can also make it harder to ask for help.

Over time, emotional suppression doesn’t simply disappear. Chronic stress can contribute to anxiety, depression, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, poor sleep, and other chronic health conditions.

Honoring your family’s resilience doesn’t mean you have to inherit every survival strategy.

Sometimes the strongest thing you can say is, “I need help.”

Healing doesn’t erase your family’s story.

It builds on it.

1. Gross JJ, John OP. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003.
2. Pennebaker JW. J Clin Psychol. 1997.
3. Cohen S, Janicki-Deverts D, Miller GE. JAMA. 2007.
4. Steptoe A, Kivimäki M. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2012.
5. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Text Rev. 2022.

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