Welcome Note and My Story
I'm interested in topics related to mental health and psychotherapy. Since I identify as a Chinese Canadian and a Christian, I also address cultural and spiritual well-being from these contexts. But please note that the views expressed here are my own and are not medical advice.
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Born into a Christian family in Hong Kong, I immigrated with my family to the suburbs of Toronto at a young age. And without anyone realizing it, including me, I navigated my childhood with undiagnosed ADHD and autism, facing additional challenges that often went unrecognized as a result. My early life was further complicated by unique difficulties within my family. During this time, I had little awareness of my internal state, lacking insight into my emotional well-being.
A career in mental health had never been on my radar, and the importance of mental well-being was lost on me. My neurodevelopmental conditions presented obstacles, sometimes causing my behaviors to be misunderstood by others, while I struggled to grasp what was wrong in such situations. Nevertheless, I managed to complete my education without major setbacks, earning a degree in mechanical engineering followed by a professional career in computing software technology.
Growing up, I felt a disconnect with my Chinese heritage and found it difficult to fit into Canadian society, despite speaking Canadian English fluently and spending most of my childhood years in the Canadian education system. This sense of being a perpetual foreigner is an experience may also be shared by many other immigrants.
Approaching my thirties, an abrupt turning point occurred when my mental health deteriorated to the extent that I could no longer fulfill my responsibilities, something I had previously managed. I found myself grappling with significant depression, this loss of control was not something I chose, and experiencing it firsthand enables me to extend compassion to others facing mental health challenges. This led me to make the difficult decision to leave my job and enroll in seminary.
My time at Tyndale Seminary, where I graduated from the Master of Divinity Program in Clinical Counselling in 2023, proved to be transformative, though not without its own set of challenges. It was this time that I received conformation of my ADHD and ASD. These diagnoses, coupled with ongoing psychotherapy and spiritual direction, deepened my personal insight and understanding. It was also during this time that I especially found attachment theory and trauma-informed approaches to psychotherapy to be especially impactful for me. A key realization was that it was okay to treat myself with compassion and acceptance, rather than being overly critical and judgmental. In essence, I learned that it was important to be accepting of myself for trying my best.
Now, I am a Registered Psychotherapist, committed to addressing a broad spectrum of mental health topics. While I have particular interests—such as neurodiversity, Christian spirituality, religious trauma, issues within ethnic Chinese families, immigration challenges, depression, disability advocacy, and integrating Christian faith with psychology—my practice is not limited to these areas. My personal experiences have instilled in me an understanding of how challenging it can be to acknowledge mental health as a legitimate concern to be reckoned with, which enables me to approach my others with compassion.
My personal journey has ignited my passion for healing and self-discovery. I see myself as a "wounded healer," using my own struggles to connect with and support others on their own unique journeys. As a mental health advocate and professional psychotherapist, I hope to put what I have learned into practice.
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