Becoming a Therapist

My journey began when I moved to the U.S. as an international student, driven by a desire to make a difference in the world. Originally, I thought being a therapist meant “changing” others. However, my training and clinical practice in trauma-informed care transformed that vision.

I realized that true healing doesn’t come from an “expert” fixing a problem, but from a collaborative partnership. My experience navigating a new culture firsthand has deeply informed my commitment to co-creating a supportive community where clients can safely explore their history. For me, being a therapist is a lifelong journey of learning how to help people feel secure enough to change and grow.

My Therapeutic Approach: Safety and Self-Knowledge

I believe that “the person is not the problem; the problem is the problem.” In my practice, I prioritize a trauma-informed foundation—meaning our first goal is always to establish safety, trust, and choice.

By integrating Narrative Therapy with trauma-informed principles, I help you “externalize” the issues you are facing. We look at how systemic factors and personal history affect you today, working together to write a new story rooted in your strengths and your own life details.

Specialties & Areas of Focus

• Trauma-Informed Therapy: Providing a regulated and safe environment to process past trauma and build emotional resilience.
• Narrative Therapy: Empowering you to separate your identity from your struggles and reclaim your agency.
• Bilingual Counseling: Full clinical fluency in Mandarin Chinese and English, offering culturally attuned support.
• International Student & Expat Mental Health: Specialized care for acculturation stress, identity shifts, and the search for belonging.
• Anxiety & Burnout: Helping high-achievers find rest and self-compassion when the “pursuit of the sun” becomes exhausting.
• Mindfulness & Grounding: Teaching practical techniques to stay present and connected to the back of your body for stability.

Insights from Yang: Paying Attention to the Back of Our Body

So often, we find ourselves chasing the sun, the goals that define success, reputation, status, growth, capability, etc. The pursuit can feel exciting and exhilarating, and along the way we often receive validation and recognition from others.

Yet, at some point, we grow tired. Too often, we stop only when we are already exhausted, burned out, or feeling lost. We may not even notice when we stopped caring for ourselves. 

Perhaps we can begin by simply paying attention to the back of our body.

It may be turned away from the sun, most of the time facing the moon. But that does not make it unimportant. The back of our body supports us when we lie down to rest. It allows us to sit comfortably when we lean into a chair. It stabilizes us when we stand, feet grounded on the earth.

Resting, recovering, supporting and nurturing ourselves, and ensuring that we feel safe and comfortable are just as essential as running toward the light.

I hope to walk alongside you in this process of becoming more gentle, compassionate, and kind with yourself.

Ready to reclaim your story and find your balance? Schedule a consultation with Yang today.