Elvina Lui, PhD, LMFT

Hi! This is Elvina. I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist volunteering with A Home Within, to be the therapist for someone currently or previously in the fostercare system.

When I was 8 years old, my parents sent me and my younger sister away to be raised by our grandma. My father had completely abandoned us by then, and my mother said she could not take care of us. So even though I have neven been in the system, I have personally experienced what it feels like to be suddenly taken away from my home and to be raised by complete strangers. I did not reunite with my mother until I was 18. I can relate to parts of what foster kids go through.

Professionally speaking, my first job after college was working at a 'group home', which is a residential treatment program for emotionally disturbed foster children and youth. That was my first experience with the foster care system, and I came to understand what it is like to be in the system. Later on I became a CASA, a Court Appointed Special Advocate, because I wanted to take a more active role in helping a foster child. This is when I learned more about the family court side of the system. Even though the system is run by many people with good intentions, ultimately it is a very broken system. The system can't support everyone in the ways that they need.

Volunteer Therapist for A Home Within