EVON CHIU
Psychotherapist
Education
- University of San Francisco, California, USA (M.A. in Counseling Psychology)
- San Jose State University, California, USA (B.A. in Psychology)
- National Taiwan University (History Major)
Areas of Specialization
- Expat Mental Health
- Immigrant Mental Health
- Family of Origin Issues
- Third Culture Kid
- Grief & Loss
- Multicultural Marriage Counseling
- Transition & Adjustment
- Youth Support
- Life Coaching
Professional Experiences
- Supervised by Dr. Helen Hsu (President of Asian American Psychological Association)
- Youth/Parent/Family Counselor at City of Fremont Youth & Family Services, California
- Founder & Director of Counseling at Junyi Experimental School (K-12), Taitung, Taiwan
- Telephone Counselor at Santa Clara County Crisis Line, California
- Life Coach at Insidetrack Coaching Inc., California
- Bilingual Counselor at Academy of Art University, California
- Adult Student Life Coach (age 18-55) at Devry University, US online nationwide
- Intervention Specialist for autistic children and family at Aspiranet Family Intervention Program, California
- Bilingual workshops/support groups facilitator in Taiwan and the US
Licensure/Certification
- Taiwan Counseling Psychologist License #004043
- Certificate of Telephone Crisis Line Counseling, Bill Wilson Center, CA
- Certificate of Domestic Violence Counseling, Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments, CA
Counseling & Qualities
- The basic elements of my counseling work consist of -
- Respect, authenticity, genuineness, empathy, acceptance, and unconditional positive regard.
- We work together to determine the direction, pace, and depth of therapy.
- Clients are supported in finding his or her own inner strengths and resources in a relaxed and confidential environment.
- I am respectful of each client's political, sexual, religious and spiritual beliefs and practices.
- Although a diagnosis can be useful, mental health diagnostic labels sometimes stop us from finding our own voice. We need to handle this carefully.
- Emotional disturbances, such as anxiety and depression, can simply be forms of reaction to life transitions. Understanding life transitions have a positive impact on emotional well-being and overall life satisfaction.
My Approach
My approach to counseling is an eclectic blend of person-centered theory, psychodynamic theory, cognitive behavioral theory and systems theory. During my 10-year journey abroad, I have lived and worked in 6 different cities in the U.S. While being an organizer of a multi-cultural personal growth group in the San Francisco Bay Area, I've spent years observing and researching intercultural relations. I have worked with adults, youth and couples in both collectivist and individualistic cultures from different countries.
The populations I often work with are expats in Taiwan, Asian American starting their new phase in Taiwan, multiethnic couples, international students, graduates of top-ranked universities dealing with emotional or interpersonal stress, adult children of under-privileged families, cross-border business owners in Taiwan, entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley, first and second-generation Asian immigrants, aboriginal families in eastern Taiwan, youths in transition, retired professionals, LGBTQ on spectrum, and so on.
YOU ARE NOT BROKEN. YOU ARE BREAKING THROUGH.
Counseling is a journey of self-discovery and self-actualization. A person's perception of the world can be the result of culture, education, early childhood experiences, family upbringing and significant life events. All humans have a remarkable capacity for self-healing. My clients have demonstrated that in every breakdown, there is an opportunity for a breakthrough. This journey really is about becoming a person who enjoys a more fulfilling personal, work and spiritual life.