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Yumi Nielsen

Yumi Nielsen

(she/her)

LCSW
20 years of experience
Warm
Authentic
Open-minded
Virtual

With the right match, psychotherapy is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself. I'm a licensed clinical social worker and see individual clients remotely in New York and Michigan. My approach is warm, genuine, and affirming. It's my job to understand how your background, current circumstances, and overlapping social identities have shaped your experience, as well as to help you navigate what's going on right now so you can heal and move forward. I prefer to meet with clients weekly to start. I have a master’s degree with a law minor from Columbia University and have practiced social work for 20+ years. I’ve devoted much of my career to social justice and have worked with, and on behalf of kids and adults of all ages in the areas of mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, education, LGBTQIA+ rights, and homeless services. After some soul searching and shifting of my "why," I've returned to clinical practice and love meeting and working with people from all walks of life.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

My goal for the initial session, or "assessment," is to offer a safe, nonjudgmental space to set the tone for our work together. We'll cover administrative basics, and I'll ask a bunch of questions to learn about who you are, what brings you to therapy, any prior therapy experience (what you liked / didn't like), your strengths and values, what you'd like to work on, and how I can best support you. You decide what you feel comfortable sharing. Feel free to ask questions to make sure we're a good fit.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I've been told that I help people feel seen and heard, which is something we don't often experience in our personal lives, in school, or at work. I tailor my approach to each person; for instance, some people want to understand longstanding behavior patterns; others like concrete tasks and homework; others want a sounding board and compassionate support; some people want to learn calming strategies or self-compassion practices. We're all different, and so are our needs. I love learning and appreciate feedback. If something isn't (or is) working for you, let me know. Your weekly session time is yours to just be you.

About Yumi Nielsen

Identifies as

Specializes in

Serves ages

Licensed in

Accepts

Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

Integrative

My therapy practice is integrative, weaving together tools from different approaches (e.g., psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, person-centered) with an emphasis on mindfulness and self-compassion. I tailor how I work with people based on their unique strengths, needs, preferences, and life experience. It’s important for me to understand what works -- or doesn't work -- for you and how I can support you.

Culturally Sensitive Therapy

As humans, we long to feel seen, heard, and understood. I use an intersectional lens to understand how your overlapping social identities (e.g., age, gender identity, race) have shaped your life experience.

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

I use CBT with clients to explore the interplay of thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Together, we’ll take a closer look at negative thought patterns and beliefs that bring you down and limit your possibilities. We'll work on quieting the inner critic.