About Dr. Lim
Before founding Where The Forest Grows, Dr. Grace X. Lim practiced general pediatrics for 5 years on California's Central Coast before transitioning to telemedicine after the death of her son. Earlier in her career, she worked in rural pediatrics serving farm-working families in the Salinas Valley and as a NICU hospitalist at UC Davis.
In 2021, Dr. Lim was honored as First 5 San Luis Obispo County's Hands-On Hero for her work advancing early childhood development in the community. She served on the steering committee for the county’s new Help Me Grow program and helped champion California’s ACEs Aware initiative to promote screening, prevention, and treatment of toxic stress. She currently serves on the board of the Northwest Children’s Foundation, supporting programs that help break the intergenerational cycle of child abuse, neglect, and trauma.
Training
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology with music minor
UC Berkeley
MD, MPH
University of Washington
Pediatrics Internship
University of Hawaii, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women & Children
Pediatrics Residency
Children’s National Medical Center
Healthcare MBA
George Washington University
Dr. Lim is board-certified in pediatrics and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She frequently engages in Continuing Medical Education around child development, parent-child interaction, and trauma and resilience.
Dr. Lim has also been designated as an Autism Center of Excellence (COE) provider by the WA Health Care Authority. She regularly participates in ECHO meetings that allow providers to learn from each other through de-identified patient cases.
Dr. Lim’s philosophy
My personal experiences have profoundly shaped the way I practice medicine.
I was born in Singapore and grew up in Portland, OR as the oldest of 4 children and the sibling of a child with a disability. My family’s stories of survival through poverty, war, and mental illness give me a deep appreciation for resilience and the ways families carry trauma and strength across generations.
My life experiences help me meet families where they are with compassion and curiosity, caring for them as a whole rather than focusing on the patient alone. I believe it is possible to grieve the journey we imagined while still discovering new ways to thrive.
Dr. Lim is a classically-trained pianist. She sings, paints, and loves to read. She speaks English and Mandarin. She lives with family in Seattle and misses the California sun and aloha sunsets.
You can follow her on IG @wheretheforestgrows
Education & Community
Dr. Lim enjoys providing evidence-based educational presentations for schools, healthcare organizations, and community groups on topics including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), resilience, child development, emotional regulation, and trauma-informed care. She believes that supporting parents, educators, and communities is an important part of promoting children's lifelong health and resilience.
Interested in having Dr. Lim speak at your organization or event? Please email to connect.
Upcoming:
Mental Health Across Cultures: Building Resilience in Our Youth - PEPS community panel discussion. Oct 26 from 6-8pm.
Building Resilience in Families with Disabilities - The Arc of Snohomish County. Nov 9 6:30-8pm.
Prior Engagements:
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) - The Parental Compass podcast (2026)
Raising Resilient Children – Coffee talk and parent Q&A
Emotional Regulation – Parent Learning Pods classes
Raising Resilient Children – Two-part workshop with County of San Luis Obispo Public Libraries