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Sherry Yam, MSW, LCSW

Researcher | Clinician | Trainer

Sherry earned her Master Social Work Degree specializing Military Social Work in 2013 from University of Southern California. She is an EMDRIA EMDR Certified Therapist, Consultant-in-Training and HAP Faculty Member.

With her passion in fostering mental health provider diversity and retention, Sherry served as a STAIR consultant nationwide at the Department of Veteran Affairs, specializing in training therapists to deliver trauma treatment for AAPI Veterans. She currently serves as an EMDR consultant at the VA alongside a STAIR consultant at the STAIR Institute.

What makes her stand out as a competent and compassionate trainer, she researches and develops effective virtual trainings for therapists to deliver trauma treatment for Veterans and the community. Outside of her trauma work, she enjoys teaching children piano to promote children’s self-esteem and creativity in the community. She was appointed to Coordinator NorCal Chapter of Trauma Recovery Network EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs, Co-Chair of the EMDRIA Military Special Interest Group and Translator for ISTSS (International Society for Trauma Stress Studies).

Research Interest.

• PTSD • Health Disparity • Training • Technology

Area of Expertise

  • Psychological Health in Students to Facilitate Abilities to Succeed Academically under Environmental Challenges.

  • Employee Wellness

  • Program Design & Implementation

  • Homeless Services in South Los Angeles.

  • Effects of Combat Trauma and Military Sexual Trauma

  • Behavioral Health in Asian Immigrants/ Refugees/ Second Generation Asian Americans.

  • Crisis Intervention and Evaluation

  • Expressive Arts Approach

  • PTSD and Neuroscience Research

Industry Experience

  • Nonprofit Organizations

  • Government Agencies

  • Humanitarian Works in the U.S. & globally (ie, Cambodia, Vietnam, Israel)

  • Early Childhood Education

  • Higher Education

  • Corporate Companies

  • Clinical Teaching

Invited Talks & Guest Speakers

  1. (September, 2013). Community Based Mental Health. Invited talk for NAMI Student Group at East Los Angeles College, Monterey Park, CA. Guest speaker at NAMI student group East Los Angeles College (Topic: Community Based Mental Health)

  2. (May, 2021). Eliminating the Barriers to AAPI Mental Health. Invited webinar presentation for Sysco AAPI Month Event.

  3. (May, 2021). Depression AAPI. Invited discussion group facilitator for Sysco Mental Health Event.

  4. (May, 2023). EMDRIA Members Respond: Identity and Heritage Representation for Asian American Heritage Month. Invited speaker for EMDRIA Focal Point Blog AANHPI Month.

Certified Interventions

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

  • Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR)

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

  • EMDRIA Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

  • Motivational Interviewing (MI)

  • English

  • Cantonese

Language