Mac Choy, Ed.S., Registered Mental Health Intern.

Education:

Graduated from the University of Florida with a Master’s and Specialist degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

At a Glance:

I believe warmth and authenticity are the foundation for exploring identity, strengthening connections, navigating transitions, healing trauma, and building our well-being. I welcome folks of all identities and their unique reasons for seeking counseling. My intention is to empower clients toward holistic wellness, particularly those who hold marginalized and systematically oppressed identities. I support you as the expert in your life, and we will work collaboratively to explore your goals for change. My intention is to hold space for the various parts of yourself to be seen, explored, challenged, and healed, because authenticity sits at the heart of well-being.

Why did you become a therapist? 

I have always been drawn to the position of “the helper” and associated the role with connection, vulnerability, and empowerment. As a kid, I was eager to be the person who others could lean on but felt uncomfortable asking for support. To no surprise, my “I’ll just do it myself” attitude caught up to me and I found my teenage self in my first therapy session. Throughout my time as a client, I have been inspired by the validation, challenge, and growth that has come from counseling spaces, and now, I work to pass this good along to others. Over time, I have worked with a range of clients and concerns including identity exploration, relationship issues, abuse, assault, substance use, incarceration, self-harm, and suicide. I believe my position as a counselor is sacred and feel honored to witness people’s stories, hold space for their experiences, and be a source of support separate from their everyday lives. I ultimately became a therapist because the compassion, warmth, and relationships involved in counseling bring meaning to my life.

What can a client expect to experience in session with you? 

As a person, I navigate the world from a place of observation, curiosity, and calmness (or at least, I try to). In our space, I hope that comfort supports vulnerability and challenge sparks change. Here, we will explore how your identities and story of origin intersect with one another, influence your experiences, and impact the world around you. We will go beyond the here-and-now to consider the interconnectedness among your past experiences, how they manifest as a felt sense in your body, and how these perpetuate behavioral patterns or inform opportunities for growth

If you could be the therapist to one celebrity, who would it be? 

Oof, a celebrity? I honestly don’t know many by name, but it would be fascinating to work with an artist. I love using arts, metaphors, and felt senses to explore emotions, and artists are naturally gifted in their ability to translate their inner abstract worlds into sensory experiences that we can see, hear, taste, smell, and touch. Regardless of celebrity status, I am always excited when clients and I can connect with one another and ourselves through creativity.

How do you spend your free time? 

Being outside always feels like time well spent for me, so in my free time, you can usually find me riding my bike or daydreaming about mountain adventures.

What's your favorite quirk about yourself? 

I love fixating on random hobbies, some of which include pottery, printmaking, hiking, rock climbing, biking, and roller derby!

What does social justice mean to you? 

To me, social justice means using the motivation of non-complacency to disrupt systems of oppression, advocate for those impacted by inequities, and cultivate spaces in which we can hold our identities in safety, gratitude, and empowerment.

How do you believe change happens?

I believe change presents itself in a multitude of non-linear processes. At times, change seems random, out of control, and punishing. Other times, it feels like work, growth, and reward. In counseling, my goal is to generate intentional change by meeting you where you are, finding the meaning in your motivation, challenging you to push toward your goals, and supporting you in your gains.