Happy New Year!!!!!I am thrilled to introduce two amazing emerging therapists to you. We warmly welcome you (socially-distanced) with open arms to Ally Counseling and Therapy.
It’s an interesting journey expanding my solo practice to a group practice during the pandemic. So many clients sought out therapy for the first time in their lives due to tremendous amount of physical, emotional, financial and political stresses. I never thought that parents would all become home school teachers, avoidant partners can no longer run away from their pursuing partners, socially anxious clients craving for in-person interaction....And of course, we, sex therapists had to deal with heated sexual arguments among couples and overwhelming sexual frustration among single clients. I really need an army to support the communities I serve.
Well long story short, here I am, with two fabulous emerging clinicians (Ruidi Zhuand Yiyao Ding) and intern (Sarah). Ruidi Zhu joined me in October 2020 and Yiyao Ding just started December 2020. I’m truly honored they chose to work with me.
I cannot stop bragging about team. Yiyao and Ruidi have many forms of intelligence - the book smart kind, the social kind, the creative kind, and definitely the kind of intelligence that therapists need most (the emotional kind). In my opinion (and this is also validated by research), one of the most critical components of therapy is the therapeutic relationship itself. It is essential for clients to feel that they can be comfortable bringing up anything to their therapist.
I curate the colleagues I work with to reflect my practice ethics. Ruidi and Yiyao are personally connected to BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ community we work closely with. Ruidi has been supporting international students and immigrants for years. Yiyao has been advocating for LGBTQIA+ , especially the more marginalized non-binary and transgender community.
We’re launching 3 amazing groups this month. Yes, we are on fire!!!!
Queer Support Group (facilitated by Yiyao Ding, They/Them, LMSW)
International Students Support Group (facilitated by Ruidi ZHu, MHC)
Ladies, Let’s talk about sex in Chinese (facilitated by Huilin Lai, LCSW-R)
It is easy to submit an individual or group therapy inquiry by emailing me hlai@allytherapy.org
To read more about Ruidi Zhu, MHC and Yiyao Ding (They/Them) LMSW in their own words, please see our about Ruidi and about Yiyao pages.