Hello, my name is Yin. I am a bilingual (English/Cantonese) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 24 years of clinical experience in mental health. In addition to my private practice, I serve as a Senior Behavioral Health Clinician at Berkeley Mental Health. As an immigrant from Hong Kong, my journey to becoming a licensed therapist has been long and, at times, challenging. There is often an assumption that therapists have had perfect lives—secure attachments, harmonious families, and a clear path forward. My experience has been different. I have faced the pain of leaving loved ones behind and starting over in a new country, to feel lost within a stepfamily, and to move through loss, heartbreak, and trauma. These experiences have shaped who I am today and allow me to meet my clients with genuine understanding, empathy, and respect for their resilience and capacity to heal. I want you to know that healing is possible and within reach. It is both an honor and a privilege to support my clients, especially in places that I, too, have traveled emotionally. I work with individuals facing a wide range of mental health concerns, as well as the everyday challenges many people encounter—such as feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or overwhelmed by guilt, shame, conflict, or anxiety. Many of the clients I support struggle with depression or anxiety, which are often rooted in past trauma or deeper, unexamined emotional conflicts.
The foundation of my work is built on trust, empathy, and non-judgment. In our first session, my priority is to create a safe and welcoming space where you can feel heard and understood. I approach the therapeutic relationship with curiosity and compassion, using genuine connection to begin building trust. We will spend time getting to know what brings you to therapy, your current concerns, and what you hope to gain from our work together. There is no pressure to share everything at once—you can move at a pace that feels comfortable for you. As we continue working together, I will help you recognize your strengths while supporting you in developing skills to better understand and navigate your emotional experiences. I hold a strong belief in each person’s capacity for growth, resilience, and healing. You are not broken or helpless—you already have the inner resources needed for healing. My role is to help you rediscover and strengthen those tools.
Choosing to begin therapy is a meaningful and courageous step, especially during times of vulnerability, emotional pain, or life transitions. As a therapist, my goal is to provide a safe, supportive space where you can build self-confidence, gain insight, and grow through life’s challenges. I offer sensitivity and encouragement to help you recognize your strengths and better understand patterns that may be holding you back. Clients often describe me as down-to-earth, warm, humorous, and open-minded.
My background in community mental health has taught me to work with a wide range of identities and populations. I've been in the field since 2002 and have specialized training in psychoanalysis, trauma, grief work, and helping clients cope with health issues and disability.
Motivational Interviewing
I incorporate Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques to help clients explore and resolve ambivalence about change. Through reflective listening, supportive approach, questioning, and collaborative goal-setting, I work with clients to strengthen their intrinsic motivation for positive behavior change
EMDR
I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and am currently working toward certification. I am continually impressed by how effective EMDR can be in treating trauma, anxiety, and other concerns. EMDR works by helping the brain reprocess distressing memories so they are no longer stored in a way that triggers intense emotional or physical reactions. During sessions, I will guide you through bilateral stimulation techniques while you recall difficult experiences in manageable, gradual steps. Over time, these memories become less overwhelming and more integrated. This process allows painful experiences to be processed more fully, often leading to a release of emotional and somatic tension that has been held in the nervous system.