Toni Yu, (She/Her), LMSW
Licensed in NY
Psychotherapist
Specialties
Anxiety
BIPOC and Immigrant Experiences
Complex trauma (e.g., intergenerational, racial, religious, minority stress)
Depression
Grief and Bereavement
LGBTQA+ Identities and Experiences
Life transitions
Neurodivergence
Relationship Issues
Mandarin-speaking
-
Hi, 我叫Toni！如果你总觉得自己陷在内耗的循环里出不来，或者明明知道该做什么，却不知道从哪里开始而感到心累，那么你并不是一个人。我主要为成人和青少年提供心理咨询，陪伴他们面对长期的焦虑、抑郁、复杂的人际关系、文化认同，以及家庭期待带来的压力。很多来访者找到我，是希望能梳理过往那些艰难的经历，或者在人生重大转折时获得一些支持。也有些人想要处理创伤、失去、哀伤，或是完美主义带来的那种深深的疲惫。无论你正在经历什么，我都希望能为你提供一个安全的空间，一起慢慢理清那些痛苦而复杂的感受，让你不必独自承受这一切。
在我的咨询工作中，我重视身心之间细腻而复杂的联系，也重视你独特的处境。对于那些浮现出来的情绪、症状或困扰，我不会急着把它们看作是需要被消除的问题，而是会和你一起慢慢探索：它们可能在提醒我们什么？也许是一些尚未被满足的需求、尚未被梳理的经历，或是你曾经为了适应与生存而发展出来保护自己的方式。在这个基础上，我们也会一起练习一些实际的技巧和工具，帮助你更好地应对当下。我采用整合性的治疗框架，综合运用 ACT、叙事疗法、DBT、CBT ，用贴近你个人经历和文化背景的方式，为你创造一个可以自在地做自己的空间.
作为一名 1.5 代华人，我在年幼时曾频繁搬迁，因此我理解在不同文化与环境之间游走、并寻找一个真正能称之为“家”的地方是什么样的感受。这样的经历不仅塑造了我与每一位来访者工作的方式，也让我在陪伴移民、移民子女，以及第三文化孩子时，能够带着更深的理解和共鸣。我很能理解文化适应过程中那种被不同期待拉扯的感受，也理解在自我身份认同与家庭责任之间不断协调的复杂性，以及内心深处对归属感的渴望。
许多人走进咨询室时，可能都曾觉得，疗愈就是要把自己那些“破碎”的地方一点点修好，或是努力摆脱那些让自己痛苦的部分。但我也想陪你慢慢看见另一种可能：也许你身上的每一部分，都有它存在的原因，也曾用自己的方式保护过你。它们不需要被责怪，而是值得被理解、被照顾，并慢慢成为你成长与疗愈的一部分。
Bio
Hi, I’m Toni. If you've ever felt caught in a cycle of overthinking, or like you know what you should do but feel entirely overwhelmed by how to start, you are not alone. I work with adults and teens who are navigating chronic anxiety, depression, complex relationships, cultural identity, and the weight of family expectations. Many of my clients come to me wanting to process difficult life experiences or find support in making a life transition. Others are looking to process trauma, loss, grief, or the exhaustion of perfectionism. Whatever your experience, I aim to provide a safe space to untangle painful feelings so you don't have to carry them alone.
My work honors the intricate connection between your mind and body, as well as the unique context of your life. Rather than treating what surfaces as a problem to eliminate, we'll often take time to explore what it might be pointing toward, whether unmet needs, unresolved experiences, or ways you've learned to adapt and survive. From there, we'll work on practical skills and tools to help you cope and grow. Using an integrative framework, I draw from approaches such as ACT, narrative therapy, DBT, and CBT, LGBTQ+ affirming care, in a collaborative, culturally sensitive, and trauma-informed way to create a safe and affirming space where you can show up exactly as you are.
My therapeutic lens is deeply informed by my own lived experience. As a 1.5-generation Chinese American who moved frequently at a young age, I know what it feels like to straddle different worlds and search for a place that truly feels like home. This foundation has shaped my work with all clients, but especially with immigrants, children of immigrants, and Third Culture Kids. I understand the push and pull of acculturation, the negotiation of self-identity and family obligation, and the deep longing for belonging.
Many people come to therapy believing that healing means fixing or getting rid of "broken" parts of themselves. I hope to gently offer a different perspective: every part of you holds meaning and has something to contribute to your growth and healing.
Education
Toni holds a Master of Social Work from Columbia School of Social Work, a Master of Health Sciences in Mental Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology with minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health from New York University.
Trainings
Prolonged Grief Therapy and Bereavement
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Depth
Trauma-Focused ACT
Behavioral Activation for the Treatment of Depression
Social Anxiety Disorder: Fundamentals and Behavioral Treatment
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills
Certifications
LGBTQIA+ Affirming Certified Provider
Adolescent Health Certificate issued by Johns Hopkins University
