About six months ago, I was at a point where everything just felt off. I was juggling work stress, insomnia, racing thoughts, and that quiet but heavy fog of sadness that wouldn’t lift. A friend gently suggested that what I was dealing with might be more than just a rough patch. So I started looking into professional help and stumbled upon Seoul Psychiatry in Gangnam.
I wasn’t new to therapy, but I’d never had an experience quite like this.
I first met with Dr. Han-mil Choi, who took the time to really understand the whole picture—my past, current symptoms, personality, even cultural context (which matters a lot when you’re living in or adjusting to life in Korea as a foreigner). What really impressed me was how customized everything was. There wasn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it felt like the therapy plan was being built with me, not just for me.
For anxiety and depression, they offered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helped me recognize and challenge distorted thinking patterns. We actually practiced strategies during sessions—things like cognitive restructuring and behavioral activation. And between sessions, I got personalized worksheets and reflection prompts, which really kept me engaged.
A couple of sessions in, ADHD symptoms came up in our discussions. I had always brushed them off, but Dr. Choi took it seriously and did a proper assessment. Turns out, I had undiagnosed adult ADHD—something that had been quietly sabotaging my focus and time management for years.
That opened the door to a different layer of therapy: executive functioning coaching and mindfulness-based CBT. We worked on practical tools—task prioritization, routine-building, breaking down overwhelming projects. It wasn’t just “talk therapy”—it was strategy-based, and I started noticing changes within weeks.
One of the most powerful parts of the experience, though, was when we touched on trauma I hadn’t fully dealt with. That’s when I had a few sessions with Dr. Paul J. Woo, who has an incredibly calm and grounding presence. He used elements of trauma-focused CBT and EMDR-inspired techniques (though not full EMDR). I wasn’t sure what to expect, but those sessions felt like some of the safest and most healing spaces I’ve ever had.
What makes this clinic special isn’t just the range of behavioral therapies—it’s how deeply personalized the process is. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, or some messy combination (like me), they don’t just label you—they work with you.
Both Dr. Paul J. Woo and Dr. Han-mil Choi are bilingual, highly trained, and genuinely compassionate. Their combined approach feels more integrative than anything I’ve seen in other clinics.
If you’re even thinking about therapy in Seoul, I can’t recommend them enough.
Seoul Psychiatry Clinic – Official Site
Meet Dr. Woo
Meet Dr. Choi