Ahra (Esther) Ko, LCSW
Licensed Therapist | California Board of Behavioral Sciences | No. 98670
Hello and welcome! My name is Ahra (Esther) Ko and I’m the founder of CogniThrive Collective, a private practice that aims to deliver quality mental health services by integrating research-supported findings and knowledge from interdisciplinary fields. I currently work with clients across the state of California, including the Los Angeles area, but have a vision to expand the practice gradually.
Education and Training
M.A., Social Work, University of Southern California
B.A., Psychology, University of California. Los Angeles
Throughout my education, I stayed actively engaged in both clinical research and applied practice, which helped me cultivate a holistic approach to therapy. I came to value the importance of incorporating evidence-based interventions to help address mental health issues in order to ensure optimal care. I understand that the human mind does not exist in a vacuum, so I draw from various interdisciplinary fields, including developmental, health, and social psychology, as well as neuroscience. Moreover, as a second-generation Korean American, I’m always mindful of the systemic and cultural factors that affect us as individuals.
Upon finishing my graduate program, I had to complete two years of clinical training as an associate therapist before being eligible to take the state’s Law & Ethics Exam and the Clinical Exam to become a licensed therapist. I completed my associate training at the LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH), which is the largest government mental health agency globally. The training was rigorous and competitive, and strengthened my understanding of mental health and its treatment modalities.
Clinical Specialty
General populations served: Adults 18+
Clinical expertise:
Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Relationship issues (includes family, social, and romantic relationships)
Self-esteem
Life transitions
What inspired me to start CogniThrive?
In addition to CogniThrive, I also work at DMH, where I provide therapy to adults with severe and persisting mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and mood disorders. My patients primarily include homeless individuals residing in Skid Row with co-morbid substance use disorders, psychiatric hospitalizations, and a long history of incarcerations. These experiences have instilled in me a deep passion to focus on preventative measures, early intervention, and improving communities at large (it truly takes a village to uplift one another). I understand that change in people is a huge undertaking, but I strongly believe that commitment, perseverance, and a resilient mindset can help make change happen - no matter the scale.
Transformation happens when we start focusing on one change at a time, and I hope to be a part of this journey with you.
Publications
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Substance Use & Misuse
May 8, 2019Authors: Jina Sang, Julie A. Cederbaum, Ahra C. Ko, & Michael S. Hurlburt
Abstract: Maternal depression has been linked to substance use in adolescents, but the mechanisms of the relationship between maternal depression and adolescent substance use are less clear. Specifically, previous literature has overlooked the role of fathers as a potential protective or exacerbating factor in buffering this relationship. Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the association between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescent substance use, exploring father’s residential status as a moderator for adolescents living with a mother with depressive symptoms. Method: Paper-and-pencil surveys were administered to a sample of 176 mothers and their adolescent daughters aged 14-18, predominantly identifying as African American/Black. Participants included a subset of mothers with HIV. Results: The results revealed that maternal depressive symptoms were not directly associated with adolescent substance use. However, father’s residential status was found to be a significant moderator in the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescent substance use. Specifically, when fathers were involved in the daughter’s life (residential or non-resident), substance use was higher in adolescents of mothers with high depressive symptoms than in those of mothers with low depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The results suggest that varied family dynamics are critical to understanding engagement in substance use among adolescent girls, including the influence of both mothers and fathers.
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Development and Psychopathology
August 6, 2018Authors: Jessica J. Chiang, Ahra C. Ko, Julienne E. Bower, Michael R. Irwin, Shelley E. Taylor, & Andrew J. Fuligni
Abstract: Psychosocial stress during childhood and adolescence is associated with alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and with heightened inflammation, both of which are implicated in poor health. However, factors that may protect against these effects relatively early in life are not well understood. Thus, we examined whether psychosocial resources protect against stress-related alterations in the HPA-axis and heightened inflammation in a sample of 91 late adolescents. Participants completed measures of various stressors (major life events, daily interpersonal stress, early adversity), and psychosocial resources (mastery, optimism, self-esteem, and positive reappraisal). They also completed the Trier Social Stress Test and provided saliva and blood samples for the assessment of cortisol and IL-6 reactivity. Each of the stressors was associated with lower cortisol reactivity. Additionally, associations with major life events and daily stress were moderated by psychological resources, such that more life events and daily stress were associated with decreased HPA reactivity among adolescents with lower levels of psychological resources, but not among those with higher levels of psychological resources. This pattern of findings was observed only for cortisol reactivity and not for IL-6 reactivity. Findings suggest that psychological resources may counteract the effects of certain adversity-related decreases in cortisol reactivity.
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Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
August 2014Authors: William Tsai, Anna S. Lau, Andrea N. Niles, Jordan Coello, Matthew D. Lieberman, Ahra C. Ko, Christopher Hur, & Annette L. Stanton
Abstract: The current study examined whether writing content related to self-enhancing (viz., downward social comparison and situational attributions) and self-improving (viz., upward social comparison and persistence) motivations were differentially related to expressive writing outcomes among 17 Asian American and 17 European American participants. Content analysis of the essays revealed no significant cultural group differences in the likelihood of engaging in self-enhancing versus self-improving reflections on negative personal experiences. However, cultural group differences were apparent in the relation between self-motivation processes and changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3-month follow-up. Among European Americans, writing that reflected downward social comparison predicted positive outcomes, whereas persistence writing themes were related to poorer outcomes. For Asian Americans, writing about persistence was related to positive outcomes, whereas downward social comparison and situational attributions predicted poorer outcomes. Findings provide evidence suggesting culturally distinct mechanisms for the effects of expressive disclosure.
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Alzheimer's and Dementia
July 2012Authors: Grace Lee, Katie Smith, Lori Holleran, Ahra C. Ko, George Bartzokis, & Po-Haong Lu
Abstract: Depression is frequently observed in patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and has been shown to predict higher rates of progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD. The neurobiological mechanism underlying this relationship may be related to white matter breakdown, which has been independently associated with both depression and AD. The current study examined the relationship between depressive symptoms, decline in processing speed, and white matter integrity on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in a high-risk sample of cognitively normal adults with a family history of AD.
