Yingjie Yan
He/Him
Tier I Therapist
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart.”
—— Rainer Maria Rilke
Hi, I’m Yingjie (he/him), and I’m glad you’re here. I believe therapy can be a space where you no longer have to hold everything on your own. Here you can slow down, speak freely, and feel genuinely seen without needing to explain every part of yourself first.
In our work together, therapy can become a space where you no longer need to hide the parts of yourself that have felt difficult to explain. Together, we may gently explore the emotions, memories, and patterns that have quietly shaped your inner world for a long time. Sometimes healing comes through conversation, sometimes through reflection, laughter, silence, or simply being deeply understood by another person. Little by little, therapy becomes not only a place to process pain, but also a place to reconnect with the parts of yourself that deserve care, curiosity, and compassion.
Walking alongside you through life's uncertainties, helping you untangle old knots and reconnect with your inner strength.
My Story
As someone who grew up in China within a highly competitive educational environment, I understand how deeply academic pressure, family expectations, social comparison, and emotional neglect can shape the way we see ourselves. Over the years, I watched many people around me struggle silently with depression, anxiety, burnout, and feelings of disconnection. Those experiences became one of the reasons I chose this path. I want to offer others a space where they no longer have to navigate pain alone.
Before coming to New York, I received professional clinical training within China’s hospital mental health system, where I worked with adolescents and young adults experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, emotional distress, and identity-related struggles. While clinical training taught me how to recognize symptoms and patterns, therapy has also taught me something equally important: healing often begins when someone finally feels safe enough to be fully themselves.
As an international student, I understand how culture, identity, family dynamics, and social expectations can shape our emotional world in complicated ways. I welcome conversations around belonging, queerness, cultural adjustment, relationships, family conflict, and the experience of feeling “between worlds.” I also deeply understand Gen Z culture, gaming, fandom communities, and trendy jokes— not simply as hobbies, but as places where emotion, identity, comfort, and connection often live. You are welcome to bring all of those parts of yourself into therapy.
Therapeutic Approaches
My therapeutic style is warm, relational, interactive, and emotionally attuned. I integrate psychodynamic and CBT approaches, balancing deeper emotional exploration with practical tools that can support meaningful change in everyday life. I value insight, but I also value laughter, honesty, and the small moments of relief that can make difficult conversations feel more human and more bearable.
I often think of therapy as walking through a mountain trail together. Some paths may feel confusing, heavy, or lonely at first. But little by little, as we untangle old knots, the journey can begin to feel lighter. My hope is that therapy can become a place where you feel deeply accepted, gently understood, and slowly reconnected with your own strength.
Specialties
I work especially well with adolescents, young adults, and international students navigating anxiety, depression, perfectionism, identity exploration, relationship challenges, emotional neglect, and life transitions. Together, we create a space to slow down, make sense of these experiences, and reconnect with a more grounded and authentic sense of self.
I also deeply value working with LGBTQ+ clients. I understand how experiences related to identity, belonging, family expectations, relationships, internalized shame, and social stigma can shape one’s emotional world in complicated ways. My hope is to offer a space where you do not have to explain or defend who you are in order to feel accepted. I strive to be not only a supportive therapist but also a steady ally who can help you recognize your resilience, reconnect with your unique strengths, and embrace the parts of yourself that deserve to be seen with pride, care, and compassion.
Credentials
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Supervisor: Huilin Lai, LCSW: R081942
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Degree: New York University - M.A. in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness (Expected May 2027)
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Degree: Sun Yat-Sen University, China – B.S. in Psychology
More About Me
Outside of therapy, I value the small moments that help me feel grounded and connected to myself. I enjoy playing video games, practicing drums, and cooking. I especially enjoy the quiet comfort of sharing food and slowing down after a long day. These hobbies give me space to recharge, stay creative, and reconnect with a sense of playfulness and curiosity in everyday life. It also become meaningful parts of my identity, connection, and emotional expression. I welcome you to bring your stories, interests, humor, and even the parts of yourself that feel difficult to share into our sessions.