Who I Am
I am a non-binary, queer, 1.5 generation Chinese-Canadian immigrant settler, residing on the unceded traditional territories of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh peoples (known colonially as Burnaby). Additionally, I identify as neurodivergent and mentally ill, while acknowledging my privileges of middle-class and able-bodied status.
Beyond my role as a counsellor and art therapist, I navigate the rewarding challenges of parenting a kindergartener, a journey filled with boundless love and patience. As an avid art maker, I find joy in various creative pursuits, including caring for plants and animals, painting, collaging, cooking, and immersing myself in the captivating worlds of video games.
Image description: a Chinese person with dyed green hair looking down at two pictures of flowers.
Where I Came From
I was born in Kunming, China, and raised by my grandmother for most of my early childhood. It is during this time that I began to immerse myself in art making. My grandmother was a painter, and the first person to model for me what resilience and healing looked like.
When I immigrated to Canada with my parents at the age of 12, I left my grandmother and lost my connection with art. My life became grappling with experiences of assimilation, gender questioning, and displacement. Like many third-culture kids, I felt like no one close to me could understand my lived realities. I had to survive and navigate a great deal of complexities on my own throughout my adolescence and early adulthood. At the same time, what I also discovered in moving through loneliness and isolation were moments of belonging and being seen. Learning to make space for the conflicting feelings became essential to my wellbeing, and is what ultimately supported me in embracing the nuances of my multiple intersections.
When I reflect on my development over the years, I noticed that many of my healing experiences were inspired by the meaningful relationships with others and in communities of care. In these supportive spaces, I am able to reclaim parts of myself and nourish my growth through embracing every aspect of my humanity.
Image description: an elderly Chinese woman standing on the left side of a Chinese toddler. The women and the toddler are both smiling.
How I Can Support You
I see working as a therapist and being a human being as inseparable processes. More than my educational and training backgrounds, I draw from my lived experiences and inner knowing to support those who share space with me. Through my journeys in life, I have found deep healing in the practice of embracing 'enoughness'. In the therapeutic space, my role is to guide you to connect with 'being enough', while cultivating gentleness and compassion for you to embody the richness of your humanity.
