Andy Yen

Acceptance and commitment (ACT)

I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients develop psychological flexibility—the ability to stay present, open, and engaged in meaningful action even in the presence of difficult thoughts and emotions. My approach emphasizes helping clients shift from trying to control or avoid internal experiences to building acceptance and willingness. I guide clients in identifying their core values and use those values to inform goal-setting and behavior change. Interventions often include mindfulness exercises, cognitive defusion techniques to reduce the impact of unhelpful thoughts, and experiential strategies that increase present-moment awareness. I support clients in recognizing patterns of avoidance that may be limiting their lives and work collaboratively to build more adaptive, value-driven behaviors. Throughout treatment, I maintain a compassionate and nonjudgmental stance while encouraging accountability and committed action toward a more meaningful life.

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a structured, goal-oriented approach to help clients identify and modify unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress. I work collaboratively with clients to increase awareness of the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and to challenge cognitive distortions through evidence-based techniques such as cognitive restructuring. I also incorporate behavioral interventions, including activity scheduling, exposure, and skills training, to support meaningful change and reduce avoidance. My approach emphasizes building practical coping strategies, fostering self-efficacy, and helping clients apply these skills in their daily lives to improve overall functioning and emotional well-being.

Dialectical Behavior (DBT)

I utilize Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as a structured, evidence-based approach to help clients who struggle with emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and interpersonal difficulties. My work integrates a balance of acceptance and change—validating clients’ experiences while also guiding them toward more effective behaviors. I use behavioral interventions such as chain analysis to identify patterns and triggers, and I prioritize treatment targets including safety, therapy engagement, and quality-of-life concerns. I actively teach and reinforce DBT skills across mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, with an emphasis on real-world application. Throughout treatment, I maintain a collaborative and accountable therapeutic environment, helping clients build insight, increase emotional resilience, and develop practical tools to navigate challenges more effectively.

Psychodynamic

I use a psychodynamic approach to help clients gain deeper insight into the unconscious patterns that influence their thoughts, emotions, and relationships. My work focuses on exploring how early life experiences and attachment dynamics shape current functioning, particularly in areas such as self-concept, emotional responses, and interpersonal patterns. I attend closely to recurring themes, defenses, and relational dynamics that emerge both in clients’ external relationships and within the therapeutic relationship itself. By increasing awareness of these patterns, I help clients understand the underlying drivers of their behavior and how they may be reenacting past experiences in the present. I provide a reflective and supportive space that encourages exploration, while also offering thoughtful interpretations that promote insight and change. Through this process, clients are able to develop greater self-awareness, improve relational functioning, and make more intentional, adaptive choices.