Soyoung Yu

Bio

Welcome, I'm Soyoung and I use all pronouns! I am queer, non-binary, femme presenting, disabled, neurodivergent, partially out, 1.5 gen immigrant from Korea. I gratefully live and work on the stolen, occupied, and ancestral lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem First Nation) peoples. I speak English and Korean (conversational/'Konglish).

My approach to therapy is grounded in intersectional, decolonial, anti-oppressive, social justice-oriented, and trauma-informed frameworks. I draw from person-centred, internal family systems, neuro-affirming, harm reduction, and somatic approaches, and I work to honour your lived experience, cultural context, and survival strategies with care, curiosity, and flexibility. Together, we might make sense of painful experiences, explore emotions and body-based responses, challenge internalized oppression, or simply create a space where you can breathe and exist without having to explain or justify yourself.

I understand therapy as a collaborative, relational, and dynamic process in which power is acknowledged, named, and intentionally shared. Rather than positioning myself as an expert on you, I aim to be a companion and co-creator in your healing, holding space for your knowledge, intuition, and agency. I strive to cultivate a warm, grounded, and accountable environment where you can show up exactly as you are, without judgment or pressure to be “palatable” or “resilient” all the time.

I am committed to relational, transformative, and liberation-oriented care that holds both individual and collective healing. This includes recognizing how racism, colonization, queer- and transphobia, classism, ableism, fatphobia, and other forms of violence shape distress, as well as nurturing joy, rest, resistance, and imagination. I work well with individuals who identify as global majority (BIPOC), queer/LGBTQ2S+, neurodivergent, immigrants, and allies. I especially love supporting folks on anxiety, stress, depression, neurodivergence, grief, trauma, perfectionism, and other experiences that are often misread, minimized, or pathologized in dominant systems.

Outside of my work, I enjoy making pottery, playing Stardew Valley, cooking and baking, cuddling my cats, and spending time in nature—especially in spaces where slowness, care, and connection feel possible.

Image Description: Soyoung is centred in the photo, gently smiling. They have shoulder-length dark hair, are wearing glasses with a thin, dark frame, a light beige turtleneck, and hoop earrings. The background is minimalistic, featuring a white wall and a doorway.

Soyoung Yu

(all pronouns)
Pre-Licensed Associate Counsellor

In-Person and Virtual Sessions

Soyoung is currently accepting new clients!

If you are interested in connecting with Soyoung, please contact soyoung@collective-healing.ca. For existing clients, self-book here.