T H E M I N D F U L L I V I N G C E N T E R
B A C K B A Y, B O S T O N, M A S S A C H U S E T T S
A DIFFERENT APPROACH
Tsu-Yin Chang,
LICSW
These days, we can be connected in a multitude of ways. But have we lost the most essential connection of all -- to ourselves?
Considering psychotherapy is an act of courage. It shows a willingness to learn about oneself and the openness to facing one’s fears. It is normal to feel unsure about pursuing an opportunity for growth. Usually, people start to consider embarking on such a journey once the downsides of coping through the typical ways begin to feel too heavy. After exploring this site, you may have a better idea if we might be a good fit for your needs.
Conventional knowledge about what should make us happy in our lives or our relationships can leave us feeling unprepared for how to navigate them. I help people who are looking to gain greater ease, self-awareness, and emotional resiliency, while seeking balance in an urban environment.
Although I am trained in several modalities and draw from them as needed, I have a particular specialization in mindfulness and insight-oriented (psychodynamic) therapy. Through spending the last 12 years working with busy people within high-pressured careers or families, while cultivating my own mindfulness meditation practice, I've noticed that people tend to get stuck in the same areas of life over and over again, usually in the same unhelpful patterns.
Often, these limiting behaviors come from attitudes and feelings of which we are not aware. Simply identifying hidden beliefs or habitual ways of thinking at times can create more ease. Learning ways to increase awareness of internal experience in the context of a therapeutic relationship often leads to an unraveling of old patterns and more diverse options in responding.
I would be happy to offer a complimentary consultation to answer any questions you may have about therapy or the way I work.
With respect for your intention to know yourself more fully --
Tsu-Yin
ABOUT
I've been fortunate to have spent the last 12 years immersed in the study and practice of therapeutic and contemplative approaches to personal and interpersonal growth, psychological healing and transformation, alongside some of the world's most respected psychologists, therapists, and teachers.
As a licensed psychotherapist and mindfulness instructor, I've been inspired by those with whom I've worked to open a place to offer services that combine my knowledge and passion in these two fields. With a psychology degree from Duke University and a Master's in Clinical Social Work from Smith College, I integrate empirically-based Western psychological modalities with the knowledge & wisdom I've gained through dedicated practice with mindfulness teachers in Asia, Australia and the US.
In my early years of clinical training at the University of Washington's Harborview Medical Center, I began sitting in meditation with Dr. Marsha Linehan, the founder of DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy, considered by others to be an unprecedented treatment that changed the face of Western psychological medicine). I discovered the benefits, both personally and professionally, of dwelling at the intersection of mindfulness and psychotherapy.
In 2015 my unique potential to help others was acknowledged by the American Mindfulness Research Association when I received a grant awarded to the most promising mindfulness practitioners and teachers in the nation. I have recently returned from two years of living and meditating in the monasteries of Southeast Asia, during which I spent some time ordained as a Buddhist nun. The integration of spirituality into therapy is one of my areas of interest, as well as the therapeutic value of plant medicines.
WHAT TO EXPECT
I utilize a unique, integrative approach that involves individually tailoring treatment plans to fit the needs of my clients. I try to stay on top of the latest clinical research, draw upon my training in psychodynamic and mindfulness-based psychological treatment methodologies, and integrate my personal experience within the classical wisdom traditions that inform modern-day "mindfulness."
Having some time ago myself conducted scientific research on the efficacy of mindfulness in relieving chronic pain and depression, I am not surprised by the steady stream of national studies that have documented its positive effects since. On a one-on-one level, through offering mindfulness instruction professionally and in local communities, I've witnessed its power to provide effective, on-the-spot stress reduction tools to anyone that cares to learn them.
But I've also, through my own journey, seen it do much, much more. I believe that all aspects of our being -- psychological, physical, and spiritual -- need to be considered in order for the most lasting and meaningful change to occur.
This holistic and relational approach has led clients to describe me as warm and insightful. Those who have worked with me have remarked on how surprised they are by their new-found capacities to be fully present through their most difficult challenges, and see first-hand that this is often what creates the most profound changes in their lives.
In addition to providing psychotherapeutic services and mindfulness instruction to clients and clinicians alike, I have also enjoyed writing questions for the national licensing exam that other therapists must take in order to practice clinically. I choose to work with only a very small number of clients at one time in order to ensure a high quality of attention and presence for all. It is my great privilege and joy to share the tools that will support others in living more balanced lives, while cultivating healthier relationships with their friends, coworkers, and loved ones.
"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again."
- Abraham Maslow
PSYCHOTHERAPY
The difficulties we face in life can sometimes require a supportive space in which to engage in the challenging but gratifying process of growth.
I specialize in assisting people who are navigating difficult life transitions, whether educational, professional, developmental, spiritual or relationship-based. Going beyond a focus on communication skills and coping strategies, I help people access meaning and connection, and to expand options about how to respond to challenges internally and externally.
MINDFULNESS
Whether you wish to learn the basics of meditation as an adjunct to therapy, are a clinician looking to integrate mindfulness into your practice, or are an advanced meditator, knowing how your nervous system may be working for or against you at any given time is a big help. Step-by-step instruction can be offered on how to settle the mind & body, and move into the quiet space of meditation-- no matter if you're in the middle of Downtown Crossing or at a 5-year-old's birthday party.
NEW CLIENTS
FEES & INSURANCE
If you've already scheduled an initial diagnostic evaluation, you must log-in to the 100% fully HIPAA-compliant client portal below to secure your session. In order to complete your registration, you must review the forms within 72 hours of receiving your log-in (and no later than 48 hours prior to the session, whichever comes first) so that you may provide the helpful background information necessary to conduct a thorough
evaluation and assessment.
If you are an existing client, you can use the secure portal to make payments, change your demographic information on file, or access any statements and forms needed for insurance reimbursement.
All insurance companies require: 1) the client to be psychiatrically diagnosed with a mental disorder, and 2) for their in-network therapists to see an extremely high volume of clients in one day. Because the first requires a willingness to be pathologized, and the second profoundly compromises the quality of care received, the vast majority of clients who are drawn to working with me prefer not to involve their insurance at all. I choose to remain an out-of-network provider whose care is covered by several insurance companies so that if you have a PPO plan, you may still have a percentage of the cost reimbursed to you. However, I may not be the right fit for clients for whom price is the foremost factor in their therapist search.
ASK
A QUESTION
Get started by scheduling a complimentary 20 minute consultation to the right, or via online calendar by clicking below.
STEPS FROM THE PUBLIC GARDEN
Walk: Green, Red, and Orange Lines
(all within 10 minutes)
Drive: Mass Pike Copley Exit
or Storrow Drive.
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