Dr. Yue Lyu, Registered psychologist in ALBERTA & NOVA SCOTIA
It’s time to heal the past pain and reconnect with your true self.
Do you remember the last time when constant worries, misunderstanding with loved ones, and harsh inner critic weren’t the “norm”? Don’t you wish you had the tools to change that?
You’re in the right place.
I’m Dr. Yue, a psychologist dedicated to helping people like you reconnect with joy and authenticity in life.
I work with clients who struggle with relationship issues, anxiety, trauma, self-doubt, immigrant stress, and adjustment difficulties in life transitions. I’ve spent many years working with young adults and adults to better understand themselves, build up healthy coping strategies, develop more adaptive patterns, and reconnect with their true self. Clients come to me because they are ready to break free from the previous patterns that no longer serve them and ready to nurture themselves with the love they have always desired. In our therapy sessions, we will focus on the issues and the goals that you want to work on. Instead of treating clients as deficient, I believe you are the expert at your problems and you have the inner resources and wisdom to heal and grow from the past pains.
We will process your current struggles and talk about coping strategies that you can apply to your daily life, such as increasing your awareness of triggers and patterns, practicing self-calming skills, managing your stress, improving communication skills, exploring your values, and developing self-compassion. We will also explore your past experience and the contextual factors that might contribute to the current struggles. This will deepen your understanding of why you feel, think, behave in the current way and develop more adaptive patterns that align with your values and needs. Sometime the healing process could be a bit overwhelming , but I want to assure you that your needs and feelings are the most important things in our therapy.
You’ve tried to avoid or minimize the painful feelings, or overachieve in your life in order to compensate for feelings of not being good enough, or please other people and suppress your needs in order to make things okay for everyone else. You’ve noticed that these previous coping strategies such as avoidance and numbing your feelings feels like a band-aid that only provides for a temporary relief. You are ready for some long-term changes.
Therapy with me are about more than just talking; we are going to explore the past and help you understand yourself on a deeper level, such as your past relational experience with important people in your life, your intersecting identity, your cultural background, the impact of power, privilege, and oppression on your life challenges, and other parts of the story that are important to you.
We will also explore the connection between the past experience and your current struggles, and understand how they shape your emotions, thoughts, and actions. It will also help to understand why the survival pattern that have served you in the past might not work in your current life. From there, we will also create a toolbox with coping strategies, unlock the self-healing capacity, and develop new patterns that are more align with your values and true self.
Therapy with me is more than just sitting & talking
we WILL WORK ON REAL, PRACTICAL SKILLS THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.
Why work with me ?
My training in culturally informed evidence-based practice means that I have the expertise you need and deserve, as I will not only provide you with tools that have been proved by research evidence to facilitate the change, but also respect your cultural background and incorporate cultural healing into our practice. Additionally, as a woman of colour and first-generation immigrant, I have also experienced self-doubt, trauma, anxiety, and hiding my true self in order to be accepted by others. Even though our inner world and life stories are not the same, I can see how hard it must be feeling isolated, being misunderstood, or as though there's no way out. I would like to share with you that if you feel life is very hard right now and you can’t see the way out, it does not mean there is something wrong with you. We might be impacted by the past pains, but the pain can’t define who you really are.
People from all walks of life come to me, each bringing their unique intersecting identities and life experiences. My clients describe my therapy style as warm, genuine, and safe, helping them feel seen and accepted. We'll delve into your past to understand its influence on your current situation and help you understand yourself on a deeper level. We will also create your toolbox, grow in self-compassion, and develop new adaptive patterns to navigate life challenges.
Specialities
My Core Values in Therapy
Acceptance
We all have fears around whether we might be judged when sharing our experiences. I hope with a warm, genuine, and safe space, you will feel recognized, seen, and accepted as your true self when you share your deep thoughts and feelings.
Connections
Through creating healing connections in therapy, my hope is that you will learn that it is okay to be vulnerable and be your authentic self; you will also be sure that your feelings and needs are valid and you matter in our relationships. From there, you will be able to bring it with you outside of therapy and create more healing connections with people in life.
Empowerment
Discovering your own strength and worth is a big part of our work together. I will guide you in trusting your inner wisdom, improving your confidence to stand up for what you need, building healthy relationships, and feeling okay about sharing your true self with people, without being shamed or afraid.
Creativity
Sometimes difficult experiences can be hard to put into words. If you are interested in, we can use art, such as painting, music, writing, etc. to help discover new aspects of your experiences, tell your story in your own unique way, and feel in charge of it.
Healing
Holistic healing includes more than just mental health. It also includes physical, relational, emotional, spiritual, and other aspects of wellness. Healing also happens in different formats for different people. It can be songs, dance, food, rest, stories, etc. I will help you create a wellness toolbox including the healing strategies that feels true to you.
Social Justice
We will explore how systemic issues, such as racial/ identity-based trauma have impacted your life and well-being. This exploration can empower you with the understanding and tools to navigate these challenges in life. It will also help you reconnect with your true self and community, fostering a collective healing.
Training & Education
Degrees
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Dakota
M.A. in Counseling & Student Personnel Psychology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
B.S. in Psychology from Beijing Normal University
Licensures
Registered Psychologist in Alberta (6760)
Registered Psychologist in Nova Scotia (R1119)
Training
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) Essentials (Level 1 & Level 2)
Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1
