Yumi Nielsen

Hi, I'm Yumi. I'm an Asian American psychotherapist and offer online therapy/telehealth in New York and Michigan. I'm in network with a number of insurance plans.

I’ve spent most of my professional life working to promote social justice and trauma-informed care in the areas of mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, education/disability rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and services for the unhoused.

Soul searching during the COVID-19 pandemic shifted my "why." After several years in policy and program development & implementation, I've returned to what I trained for: 1-on-1 work with adults. I work with lots of folks who identify as Asian/Asian American, POC/BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, 1st/2nd generation immigrants, 1st generation college students, and introverts. I work with people grappling with anxiety, depression, life transitions, and issues related to identity or low self-acceptance/self-compassion. But, I enjoy working with adults of all ages and from all backgrounds and walks of life.

My approach is warm, nonjudgmental, and affirming. It's my job to listen and understand how your background, current circumstances, relationships, and intersecting social identities have shaped who you are and how you experience the world. My method is integrative, which means I use elements of different therapy models based on what would be most helpful. If you've tried therapy before, I'll want to hear about your experience and what was helpful. In our work together, I'll make suggestions and may nudge but won't tell you what to do.

We'll start with an hour-long assessment where I'll ask about your past and present to understand what you've been through, what's going on now, and what you hope to get out of therapy. After that, we'll meet regularly (preferably weekly to start) to work on what brought you to therapy and what you hope to get out of it. This is your time, so it's important that you feel comfortable being yourself, which can take time. You can come with specific things to discuss (or not). We'll spend time working to understand how your past experiences and relationships have affected you; exploring and sitting with difficult thoughts and feelings; uncovering patterns and unhelpful ways of thinking; learning new ways to handle difficult thoughts and feelings/emotions; practicing more effective communication strategies, building self-compassion; and aligning with what's most important to you.

If you have any questions, message me through my website: https://www.yuminielsen.com/contact or email me at [email protected].

I'll do my best to respect your time, and I ask the same of you. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please do so within 24 hours of the appointment start time to avoid a late cancellation/no-show fee.