Chloe Yu

I am a bilingual therapist and psychologist with five years of core training in counselling psychology who work with a wide range of psychological issues and presentations. I am trained to doctorate level in psychology in the UK and take a psychology and trauma informed approach to counselling and psychotherapy. I primarily work in English, but also happy to offer counselling in Mandarin Chinese if the client prefers.

I have a track record of helping clients overcome emotional/psychological difficulties and challenging life situations through compassionate and effective therapeutic interventions. I have experience supporting clients with a wide range of psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression, psychosomatic symptoms, relationship difficulties etc. I embrace a fully inclusive ethos in my practice and work in a culturally sensitive, LGBTQ+ inclusive and neuro-affirming way.

Over time, I have noticed I work best with the below types of clients:

Expats / International Students / Immigrants

I have extensive experience supporting people who have undergone migration or relocation and are navigating the social, cultural and familial changes that can accompany such transitions. Relocation can also bring existing family-of-origin difficulties to the surface or intensify challenges that may have previously been less prominent. I offer a space to explore these experiences and the ways they may be shaping your sense of identity, relationships and belonging.

High-functioning clients who often feel misunderstood and out of step with the world around them

I have a particular interest in working with clients who are thoughtful, high-achieving, yet may quietly struggle with feeling misunderstood or out of step with the world around them. Some may be highly intelligent or sensitive, or identify with certain neurodivergent traits or have experienced past traumas, although this is not always the case. These clients may have achieved considerable success academically or professionally, while finding relationships, emotional connection or a sense of meaning and fulfilment more difficult. I offer a space to help them developing a deeper understanding of themselves, explore the patterns underlying these difficulties, and find ways of relating to themselves and others that feel more authentic and sustainable.

Clients who have been caught in repeated, destructive relationship patterns

I work with clients who long for a loving and supportive relationship but somehow find themselves struggling to establish or sustain relationships that feel secure and fulfilling. They may experience obsessive preoccupation with the relationship, intense infatuation, heightened relationship or separation anxiety, difficulties with setting or maintaining boundaries, or find themselves repeatedly drawn to partners who are not well suited to them.

These patterns can sometimes be understood through the lens of anxious or avoidant attachment, although everyone’s experience is different. I work collaboratively with clients to develop a deeper understanding of their relational patterns, explore how these may have developed, and consider new ways of relating that can support greater security, mutuality and fulfilment in relationships.

Clients who are dealing with acute or chronic health conditions/challenges

Through my work in the NHS, I have developed particular experience supporting clients living with acute or chronic health conditions that can affect their quality of life and make it more difficult to live meaningfully.

I work collaboratively with clients to explore the emotional and practical challenges associated with their health conditions, while also considering the choices, possibilities and areas of freedom that remain available to them. Together, we explore how they might live a meaningful and fulfilling life while acknowledging and working within the realities and limitations that their circumstances may bring.

Clients who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community or who question their identifies and relationships and opting for a less conventional way of living

I am interested in supporting clients whose identities, relationships or chosen ways of living may place them outside conventional social or cultural expectations. This includes LGBTQIA+ clients, people exploring their identity or relationships, and those who have intentionally chosen less conventional approaches to relationships, family or lifestyle. For example, individuals who chose to remain childless or childless due to infertility or other life circumstances.

Clients navigating these experiences may encounter additional social, familial or cultural pressures, including feeling misunderstood, judged or marginalised. I offer a supportive and non-judgemental space to help clients exploring these experiences, developing greater confidence in navigating external expectations, and consider how to build a life that feels authentic and meaningful to them.