Margaret C. Wang, LMFT Psychotherapist

Margaret C. Wang, LMFT Psychotherapist Margaret C. Wang, LMFT offers psychotherapy in the state of California via telehealth. Wang, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, IMF #132544
M.A.

Santa Clara University Counseling Psychology

I offer individual and group therapy via phone and video, while ensuring that the telehealth medium is secured and confidential. Maybe you look amazing on paper but your insides don't mirror that. Or you feel stuck and your fears are holding you back. I'm excited to tell you that you can get everything done EVEN IF it doesn't seem like there's enough time in the day. When working with clients, my focus is on making sure that you feel heard and understood. I find that it is so important to approach my work with non-judgment and openness. Whether you are working through intergenerational trauma, or are hoping to overcome symptoms of depression, I am here. I find that it's imperative that we collaborate and you determine your goals because you know yourself best. I’m here to help you better manage whatever circumstances are leaving you feeling helpless, and I will equip you with the skills to cope with difficult emotions.

What Does Emotional Regulation Actually Mean? And Why It Matters 🌿Emotional regulation isn’t about staying calm all the ...
12/16/2025

What Does Emotional Regulation
Actually Mean? And Why It Matters 🌿

Emotional regulation isn’t about staying calm all the time—it’s about how you respond when something activates you. It’s your capacity to adapt, recover, and care for yourself when your nervous system is under stress. ⚡️

When we can regulate, we’re less likely to burn energy reacting or staying stuck in fight-or-flight. This isn’t about suppressing emotions—it’s about supporting your nervous system so feelings can move through without taking over. 💨

Ways to practice emotional regulation:
⌚️ Build gentle routines so your body knows what to expect
🙂🫤🙁 Name what you’re feeling (emotion charts can help)
💡 Check in with your needs—comfort, rest, space, or validation

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12/15/2025

Not Calm, Not Numb—Regulated

🌿 It’s about how we respond to situations—our ability to adapt and take care of ourselves when we’re triggered.

⚡️ At its core, emotional regulation helps us avoid “flipping out” and burning unnecessary energy.

💨 It’s about our ability to regulate our nervous system, not suppress emotions.

What You Can Do:
⌚️ Create structure or routine
so your body knows what to expect.

🙂🫤🙁 Identify your emotions;
use an emotions chart if needed.

💡 Ask yourself what you need
—physical comfort, a break, or to be understood.

If this resonates, feel free to DM me and let’s talk.

12/11/2025

➡️Why It’s Easier to Stay Busy

✨️ On the surface, it can feel like we just prefer being on the go. But on a deeper level, slowing down can feel scary or overwhelming because it means actually sitting with your feelings.

🎯 We’re going back to one of my staples — the 1–5 scale. Pinpoint what you're feeling on a scale of 1 to 5, and choose the emotion you have the most difficulty with or encounter most often.
Example:
If you experience anxiety consistently:
1 = calm
2 = anxious
3 = worried
4 = distressed
5 = panicked

🧩Start incorporating moments of not pushing away the emotion, along with instances of intentional distraction.

💬If you're wondering why you stay busy
even when you’re exhausted, feel free to DM me, and let's chat.

12/08/2025

Tired of Feeling Behind?
Try This Brain Reframe Tool

I'm very excited to share this new tool from .coaching MBA & Executive Coach.

The exercise in a nutshell 🥥

Your brain’s scorecard:
Example of a current scorecard: “You’re always messing up”
OR
"You're overreacting"

Why this isn’t helpful:
It drains unnecessary energy.
Pooja describes it as if a fire alarm is constantly going off — this reminds me of the exhaustion that comes from being stuck in a fight-or-flight state.

What I like about this exercise:
You can reprogram your brain’s scorecard by identifying the least you can do and still feel satisfied. I love this because it sets us up for success by creating realistic goals. You can set the bar as low as you want — even if it feels counterintuitive. The key is that you earn bonus points and gamify the process each time you meet your goal and go beyond it.

🗝 The new scorecard can be anything:

Example scorecard:
At a networking event, I want to have one interaction where I’d genuinely like to continue the conversation afterward. (Bonus points for every additional positive interaction.)

Example scorecard:
I need to check in with myself and what I'm needing 1x per day.

This could mean asking yourself,
"What am I needing right now? Comfort?
To be understood?"
OR
"Do I need time to myself?
Do I need a 5-minute break?"
(Bonus points for every additional instance that you check in with yourself.)

It takes time to teach your brain that there’s a new scorecard. You might need to be firm with yourself and remind yourself 10–20 times of the new criteria.

If you like this exercise, Pooja Venkatraman, MBA, has so many more to share — and you’ll absolutely appreciate her enthusiasm and expertise. DM her to find out if she has any openings!

12/04/2025

Learning to Say No:
Especially When You’re Used to Saying Yes.

Setting boundaries when you're used to one-sided relationships.

1. You don’t need to give an explanation. People will react how they react, and that is out of your control. All you can do is take care of yourself.

2. You can hold boundaries and still be caring. You’ll probably feel guilty, and that’s okay. If they’re truly your friend, they want you to be well.
⚠️ This does not apply to
toxic relationships. ⚠️

3. It isn’t your job to validate the other person. Try asking yourself: “Do I have the capacity to be present for this person for one hour?”

And if you’re craving structured support to rebuild that mind-body connection, our upcoming workshops will give you the grounding, clarity, and practical tools to start feeling like yourself again.

Elizabeth and I will cover these topics this Thursday in our workshop:

✨️Learn cognitive strategies to reframe food stress and support balanced nourishment.

✨️Practice trauma-informed regulation tools to calm overwhelming emotions during difficult seasons.

✨️Use the Hunger Scale to distinguish physical hunger from emotional cues.

➡️It's not too late to register!!
REGISTRATION LINKS IN BIO! ⬅️

Thurs 12/4 @ 12pm PST





12/02/2025

People-Pleasing Starts Young — Here’s Why

When we're seen as an extension of our parents or family members:

1. You may have internalized messages like, “You made me look bad.” As a result, you might have learned early on to people-please to avoid conflict or criticism.

2. Part of healing is making sense of these emotions while still maintaining your individuality. This often means processing difficult feelings—like anger or sadness—that you may have suppressed.

3. Over time, you begin setting boundaries based on who you are, rather than on others’ expectations or judgments.

And if all of this feels familiar, our upcoming workshops will help you move from understanding these patterns to actually shifting them—through practical tools for stress, nourishment, and mind-body regulation.

Elizabeth and I will cover these topics this Monday and Wednesday in our workshops:

🧠Reframe food and stress distortions using trauma-informed, holistic cognitive tools.

📏Learn emotional regulation skills to navigate overwhelm and reconnect with yourself.

🍞 Use the Hunger Scale to understand hunger, appetite, and emotional cues.

✨️It's not too late to register!! REGISTRATION LINKS IN BIO! ✨️

Mon, 12/1: 7pm PST
OR
Thurs 12/4 @ 12pm PST




11/26/2025

If the recent holidays have left you feeling sluggish, depleted, or disconnected from your body, this workshop is designed to help you hit the reset button. You'll gain practical tools from the lenses of holistic nutrition and trauma-informed stress regulation to address your well-being, whether it's navigating food challenges or managing emotional fatigue. Attend to restore your mind-body balance, allowing you to feel more energized and fully in tune with your needs for the rest of the season.

Concrete Tools & Exercises You'll Gain
Cognitive Tools for Stress & Food Challenges:

Learn evidence-based techniques (rooted in CBT and trauma-informed care) to identify and reframe cognitive distortions related to food, body image, and holiday stressors.

​Shame, Guilt, and Judgment Release: Concrete steps to process and release the shame and guilt often tied to food choices and body image, preparing for a more peaceful holiday season.

​Setting Intentional Eating Boundaries:
Develop clear strategies for intentional eating and establishing firm boundaries with food, self, and others, especially during holiday gatherings.

​Wise Mind Exercise:
Engage in a focused exercise to balance the emotional and rational minds, helping you to make grounded, values-aligned decisions about your health and self-care.ently address emotional eating patterns.



11/26/2025

You Don’t Have To Minimize Your Pain
To Honor Theirs

1. Can we hold compassion for them and acknowledge our own pain, without detracting from anyone’s experience? What do you notice when you try this? Does it feel uncomfortable, or do you want to distract yourself? This pattern is deeply ingrained, and shifting away from it takes time.

2. You might have to move through a series of painful emotions. For example, you may need to let yourself feel the anger or sadness of not having certain needs met. Reaching a place of acceptance is not easy.

3. Create a statement that feels right for you. Example: “Sometimes I still feel angry about it, and that’s okay.” Emotions shift over time.

⚠️When we stop minimizing our own pain, we can finally notice what our mind and body are trying to tell us—exactly the kind of deep awareness and regulation we’ll be teaching in our upcoming workshops.

Here's what Elizabeth Aong and I will cover in our workshops:

✨️Understand hunger, stress, and emotions using practical trauma-informed tools.

✨️Reconnect with body cues to guide intentional eating and self-care.

✨️Build emotional regulation skills to manage overwhelm and restore balance.

These are the two events:
▶️Mon, 12/1: 7pm PST
OR
▶️Thurs 12/4 @ 12pm PST

DM me if you have questions, and sign up for our workshops!!

LINKS IN BIO

11/24/2025

Why Self-Sabotage Happens (and How to Break the Cycle)

Here are some actionable steps you can take in the short term:
1. Remember, it takes time to trust yourself—especially after years of ignoring your needs. Start by listening to your internal cues, paying attention to that small voice, and noticing hunger and physical sensations without dismissing them.

2. Make space for your fears, both the rational and irrational ones. See if you can also acknowledge the fears connected to “What if things actually go well?”

3. Notice when you're seeking immediate gratification. Instead of criticizing yourself, ask what you’re truly needing or hoping for in that moment.

When fear and self-sabotage disconnect you from your body’s cues, this workshop will help you rebuild trust—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Elizabeth Aong, RD, NBC-HWC and I
will cover these topics in our workshop in two weeks:

• Reconnect with your body using practical tools for stress and nourishment.
• Understand hunger signals to improve eating patterns and emotional awareness.
• Build regulation skills to manage overwhelm and support consistent self-trust.

These are the two events:
▶️Mon, 12/1: 7pm PST
OR
▶️Thurs 12/4 @ 12pm PST

LINKS IN BIO!

11/19/2025

POV: Someone Minimizes Your Feelings Again

Maybe you've received invalidating messages like, “Get over it,” or “I had it so much worse.” Here are some things you can do in the short term:

1. Slow down in small ways. This might look like taking a 5-minute break between calls or giving yourself an extra 10 minutes in the morning to get ready.

2. Identify your needs. If you're feeling sad, maybe you need comfort. If you're feeling angry, maybe you'd benefit from venting. Create a list of coping skills that help you meet each of these needs.

3. Do the opposite of invalidation—start validating your feelings. Try: “Others might not get it, and I’m feeling ___,” or “It’s okay if it doesn’t make sense, and I’m feeling ___.”

✨️Our workshop gives you practical tools to stay grounded, even when others minimize your feelings or expect you to fall back into old roles.✨️

▶️Define the emotions you want guiding your holiday experience.

▶️Lighten pressure by unpacking others’ expectations and your own.

▶️Regulate overwhelm using clear cognitive and body-based cues.

OUR WORKSHOP IS TOMORROW!
Thursday, November 20
1:30-2:30 PST / 4:30-5:30pm EST
VIRTUAL & REPLAY AVAILABLE

REGISTER HERE👇🏼
https://partiful.com/e/iql7IdUvmdxmdBmH4Jbw?source=share

11/19/2025

Are You Using Gratitude
To Numb Your Feelings?

Gratitude: we can't use it to avoid what we're feeling. Yes, it's important to acknowledge our privilege and what we do have. But it's not everything.

We can't let it be an excuse, or a way to deny what we're experiencing. Then it becomes invalidation in a prettier package. Why do I say this?! Especially if we're used to suppressing our needs, it's one more strategy to avoid it.

Instead, it might be about finding a nice balance of gratitude and being present with your emotions. Notice when you're using gratitude, and acknowledge whatever thoughts or feelings that are arising.

When we stop using gratitude to bypass our emotions, we create space to understand what we actually need. From there, we can make intentional choices about how we want to move through the holiday season—rather than defaulting to old patterns or pressure.

And here's what we'll cover during our workshop:
• Clarify how you want to feel this season—beyond guilt or obligation.
• Identify and unpack internalized expectations so they stop driving your choices.
• Use cognitive and body-based cues to regulate your emotions in real time.

Thursday, November 20
1:30-2:30 PST / 4:30-5:30pm EST
VIRTUAL & REPLAY AVAILABLE

Register here 👇🏼
https://partiful.com/e/iql7IdUvmdxmdBmH4Jbw?source=share

11/17/2025

Why Family Obligation Feels So Heavy — and What You Can Do About It

Maybe you're responding to underlying or spoken messages from family like, “I did so much for you, and this is all you can do in return?” or “I sacrificed so much—why can’t you do this one thing for me?”

Here are some reminders when you feel pulled into obligation:

1️⃣ You’re almost always going to feel obligated, so do what works for you.
Example: show up to an event for an hour instead of the entire time.

2️⃣ Many of us carry ingrained messages like,, “You’re not a good enough… (child, parent, sibling, etc.),” remind yourself that this is a battle that’s not worth fighting. What would help you let go of this impossible standard?

3️⃣ When you’re confronted with statements about sacrifice, see if you can hold both truths about you and your family member's perspective:
Yes, that family member may have suffered AND you don’t have to give up what you need.

Once you realize these messages aren’t the truth—but old conditioning—you can choose something different this season.
Here’s how Pooja Venkatraman and I will help you do that:

• Define how you want to feel this holiday season.
• Unpack expectations to reduce pressure and mental fatigue.
• Use cognitive + body cues to self-regulate quickly.

Thursday, November 20
1:30-2:30 PST / 4:30-5:30pm EST
VIRTUAL & REPLAY AVAILABLE
to all registered participants.

​Link to Register!👇🏼
https://partiful.com/e/iql7IdUvmdxmdBmH4Jbw?source=share

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San Jose, CA

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