Xiaomin Zhang, 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.

Languages:

English and Mandarin

At a Glance:

As an existentialist, I'm drawn to the profound complexity of human beings. Knowing ourselves is hard, and exploring it takes courage. I'd be honored to be a part of your daring journey, regardless of what leads you to seek counseling. I have experience in supporting individuals with anxiety and/or depression, as well as those who have experienced acute trauma and complex trauma. My approach is trauma-informed, strength-based, and with a systemic lens. You can also expect some mindfulness and somatic techniques in therapy. If As a Chinese myself, I am delighted to offer clinical services in both English and Mandarin.

Why did you become a therapist? 

I had an existential crisis years ago. In trying to figure out the meaning of my life, I discovered Irving Yalom, an existential therapist who wrote a lot of fictions (although I think he is a much better therapist than a writer). Then I decided I wanted to be a therapist like him, creating genuine connections and accompanying and assisting others on their journey to find out who they are, what they live for, and how to get there.

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

You can expect a genuine encounter with another human being. I won't pretend I know all the answers or have it all figured out, but I'm ready to join you on this challenging journey. I'll treat you how I'd like to be treated, with respect, honesty, and compassion.

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

J. K. Rowling. I love her Harry Potter series and am curious about the inner world of the creator of the magical universe. I know her political stance may be controversial, but it'd be great if I could sit down with her and understand where she comes from with some of her speeches.

How do you spend your free time? 

On a more regular basis, it's reading, listening to music, or watching TV, which makes me feel connected to another world; and outdoor activities, which makes me feel connected with nature. But recently, I've spent a lot of my free time watching Korean reality shows.

What's your favorite quirk about yourself? 

I've developed a fascination for K-dramas and K-reality shows. They are great! You can find high-quality shows of any genre or style you like.

What does social justice mean to you? 

This term is so hard for me to pin down. I think for me, social justice means being a person who respects everyone else, always tries to be aware of my biases and assumptions. And on top of that, being a therapist who brings a systemic view into the client's struggle and provides a safe space for them to explore, embrace, and defend their identities against those who challenge them.

How do you believe change happens?

I believe change happens with awareness, and awareness comes from real-life experience. It can be going out and doing things that are scary for you, or getting in touch with the parts of you that are rejected, or feeling the emotions that are suppressed. Either way, if you experience something different, that's when change is about to happen.

【中文 （Chinese）】

教育经历

佛罗里达大学   心理咨询专业   硕士在读

简单介绍一下你自己

我一直觉得人这种生物实在是很复杂。 “了解你自己”这五个字说起来很容易，做起来却是一件困难且需要勇气的事情，因而能见证并且助力他人的探索和成长在我看来也是件及其幸运的事情。不论你是被情绪困扰，还是生活里有一些问题/困惑想要探讨，又或者你只是好奇心理咨询会是怎样的体验——不论你是出于什么原因来到咨询室，我都会非常愿意与你一起开始这段旅程，并尽我所能让你觉得安全和被尊重。我有与被焦虑及抑郁困扰的来访工作的经验，也有与创伤经历工作的经验。我在咨询过程中会关注来访的创伤经历及其影响，帮助来访看到并运用自己的能力和优势，也会与来访一起检视社会文化、家庭关系对他们的价值观和选择的影响。咨询可以用中文或英文进行。

你为什么想成为咨询师？

几年前，我经历过一次存在主义危机，不知道自己活着的意义是什么。在找寻答案的过程中，我偶然读到了欧文·亚隆的《存在主义心理治疗》。读完这本书之后，我就决定要成为一个像亚隆一样的咨询师，真诚地与来访相处，并为他们的自我探寻之旅提供一点帮助。

来访者可以期待怎样的咨询体验？

这会是一场真实的人与人的相遇。我不会假装自己无所不知，也不会认为自己永远正确，但我会尽我所能地提供你需要的支持。真诚、同理心和尊重他人是我最重视的品质，也是我在咨询工作中会践行的原则。

如果你能选择一个名人为Ta做咨询，你会选谁？

J·K·罗琳。我非常喜欢她的《哈利·波特》系列，所以很想了解创造了这个魔法世界的人的内心。我知道她最近的一些言论引起了不少争议，但这也让我更希望能有机会跟她一起聊聊，了解她言论背后的想法。

你闲暇时间会做些什么？

读书，听音乐，追剧，这些事情让我觉得自己进入了另一个世界；户外运动（主要是散步），让我深刻地领会到大自然的神奇。

你最喜欢的关于自己的小癖好是什么？

我最近对韩综非常入迷，吃饭的时候看上一集新更的综艺是我的快乐源泉 ^o^

对你而言，社会正义是什么？

这个词对我来说实在是太大了，所以我只能从自己入手。对我来说，社会正义意味着作为一个人，我要尊重每一个人，永远保持自省；作为一个咨询师，我要意识到来访的痛苦可能与系统的不公或者社会的偏见有关，我希望能为他们提供一个安全的环境探索自己，接纳自己，并在他们需要的时候支持他们维护自己的权利。

你觉得改变是如何发生的？

我觉得改变始于觉察，而觉察来自于体验。当一个人获得了新的体验时——不论这种体验是做一些自己害怕的事情，还是直视内心深处不想面对的那部分自己，又或者是感受到曾一度被压抑的情感——改变可能很快就会发生。