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Zhenyi Yang, LMHC
She/ Her
Tier III Therapist
Hi there, my name is Zhenyi. Glad our paths cross here! I’m a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor and an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) trauma therapist at Ally Counseling and Therapy. I graduated from New York University Counseling and Guidance Master’s program and completed the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Counseling from Alfred University. I’ve been working in the field since 2018, and I hope my personal and professional background can accompany you throughout this journey to find some answers that you are seeking for your authentic self.
I cultivate a safe environment to discover the strength that will lead you out of the “stuck” feeling that you want to change.
Therapeutic Approaches
I adopt the framework from EMDR and integrate various therapeutic approaches to provide holistic and flexible support. I believe that it’s essential to facilitate a safe and empowering environment before any therapeutic work can start. I will guide you to identify emotions where it is inconsistent with its context and trace back to where the “stuckness” is. I incorporate evidence-based approaches such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to equip you with the life skills you need in self-exploration, interpersonal communication, and particularly through this period ofhardship.
Specialties
Mood Issues and Trauma Treatment
A main reason that you are seeking therapy at this moment may be related to difficulties with emotional
regulation. We often hear the term trauma but rarely associate certain experiences to this big word. In
fact, trauma may impact individuals in various ways and it does not necessarily need to be catastrophic to
have an extensive impact on a person. If you are experiencing anxiety, difficulties with sleep, excessive
guilt or shame, depression, phobia and so on, these can be a result of coping with trauma in your past. Our
work together will focus on helping you identify and understand the triggers to these unexpected and
intrusive emotions and behavioral responses, reprocess the moment where you and those emotions were
stuck, and eventually arrive at the state of peace and calmness where you regain the balance to experience
emotions as they are.
Relational Issues
Beyond our daily individual challenges, relationship related issues can bring distress as well. Maybe you
are considering seeking a new relationship, or currently recovering from a previous breakup/separation, or
hoping to change the current relationship dysfunctional dynamics. Our work together in these relational
topics can help you deepen your self-awareness of your attachment style and its root, as well as explore
your coping patterns and defense mechanism, eventually gain a better understanding of what you need in
the relationship and how to communicate and meet those needs. I also provide Emotionally Focused
Therapy for couples to provide a safe environment to break dysfunctional “dances” in the current
relationship dynamics and help each partner identify strengths and barriers to communicate relational
needs and formulate growth alliances.
Career Counseling and Professional Growth Coaching
Our career paths are no longer like those of our parents or generation before where you stick with one job
until retirement. Industry and Career fields are vicariously changing and global economy status also
impacts our career development. As a career changer, it was career counseling that brought me the
knowledge and clarity to become a therapist. I understand the fear and anxiety that you deal with in
coping with the difficulties of the process. I hope career counseling with me can provide you the tools and
clarity to tap into your interest, values, abilities, and personality to map out a bigger picture for your
career path and choices. I also provide professional growth counseling to help clients balance multiple
roles and needs between professional and personal life.
Life Transition and Adjustment
Change is constant and it happens everywhere and everyday in our life, mostly unexpectedly. Sometimes,
we have enough curiosity, courage, and resources to embrace the change, but also sometimes; we just
struggle and question whether we’ll adapt or experience fear and doubt related to these struggles. These
changes can be moving to a new environment (including new immigrant or international students
adjustment) or adopting a new role/identity (such as becoming a caretaker or a parent). If you are
experiencing difficulties adjusting, counseling can help you alleviate the accumulating frustration and
potential self-doubt, and channel your energy into the exploration of your strengths and understanding
barriers in transition adjustment, and assist you find the path to integration and growth of the new self for
the new phase.
Credentials
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License: New York States/Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) # 014609
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Degree: New York University - Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance
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Degree: Alfred University- Graduate Certificate of Advanced Study in Mental Health Counseling
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Certificate: New York State Certified Bilingual School Counselor
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Advanced Training: Advanced Training: EMDR basic training from The Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy.
More About Me
A fun fact about my name is that my mother was told by a fortune teller that I need the element of earth (土) in my name to help ground me. So my mother went through Chinese dictionary and found me the character of Zhen (臻)with the meaning of getting better and better. I find it fascinating that I now become a therapist that can help more people find solid ground to feel safe and supported. I am a dog mom now, and my dog is my little sunshine that helps me recharge after work. During my day off, we will go to the local
park to relax and recharge.
In my leisure time, I also love to participate or listen to choirs. Throughout my life, whether it is being actively involved in or being an audience of a choir performance, I always find it utterly romantic and healing for a group of people who have different voices and experiences to come together, attune to one another and formulate music, the most powerful magic as Dumbledore phrased. My favorite choir groups are Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers and Voctave.