Christopher Lum, LCSW

Licensed in California · 15 years in practice

Christopher Lum is a clinical social worker who centers mindfulness, self-compassion, and practical talk therapy in his work.

License and registration

LCSW, California: 29237 · expires November 2026
NPI: 1255654323 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 15
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Christopher

Christopher Lum is a clinical social worker who centers mindfulness, self-compassion, and practical talk therapy in his work. He blends life experience with 15 years in the field to help people manage addiction, grief, depression, and the strain of major life changes. Christopher practices from California and brings an empathetic, straightforward style to sessions.

He grew up balancing Chinese family expectations and life in the U.S., so cultural tension and identity are personal themes in his work.

Background and approach

That background led him to study AAPI matters and psychology, and later to social work practice focused on underserved communities. His own recovery and lived struggles with addiction, depression, and social anxiety shape how he connects with clients. Over his career he has worked in settings that include hospital social work, veterans services, and outpatient care.

He has supported people facing end-of-life decisions, caregiving burdens, dialysis-related needs, and homelessness among veterans. Those roles gave him wide exposure to grief, mood disorders, and aging-related concerns. In sessions he uses a mix of mindfulness, cognitive approaches, acceptance-based strategies, and cultural humility.

He helps people notice hard thoughts, practice self-kindness, and try small behavior changes that fit their lives. Christopher pays attention to how family expectations and cultural messages influence choices and feelings. People who seek him out often want practical tools and a calm, nonjudgmental partner to talk through guilt, shame, forgiveness, isolation, or challenges related to substance use.

He aims to make therapy a steady place to explore identity, healing, and realistic steps forward.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Christopher lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Online support

How therapeutic approaches translate to online sessions

Christopher uses mindfulness practices to help people notice thoughts and bodily sensations without harsh judgment; this can reduce rumination and make distressing moments more manageable. He also draws on cognitive-based techniques to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and test small behavior experiments that change daily routines and mood.

He often incorporates acceptance-based ideas to help people live with difficult feelings while pursuing values-based actions. Together these approaches are practical and skill-focused, aiming to give tools people can use between sessions. Deciding which mix fits best is a collaborative process - he listens to goals, life demands, and cultural context, then tailors methods with the client during early sessions.

Online formats - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit counseling into busy schedules. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone calls can be a good choice when bandwidth is limited, and messaging or live chat work well for brief check-ins or when someone prefers writing. These options give flexibility to keep continuity of care while trying approaches that match a person's pace and needs.

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Questions people ask

What concerns does Christopher help with?

He focuses on addictions, grief, depression, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue, with additional attention to aging, hospice and end-of-life issues, family of origin matters, and isolation.

What is his therapeutic style like?

He uses mindfulness, self-compassion practices, cognitive approaches, and acceptance-based strategies in straightforward, practical sessions that emphasize small, doable changes.

How much experience does he have?

Christopher has 15 years of experience working in hospital, veterans, and outpatient settings, including work with geriatric and end-of-life concerns.

Where is he licensed and based?

He practices in California and holds the LCSW credential, which is listed as CA LCSW in his profile.

Which languages are supported in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are offered?

He works via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to match different needs and schedules.

How does pricing work for therapy?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with him?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

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