DR. YAPING ANDERSON, LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST
(She/Her/Hers)
I Am So Glad You Are Here!
Your desire to better yourself has brought you here to tap into your hidden inner power.
Sorting through therapist profiles can be overwhelming. This page aims to give you a sense of who I am, personally and professionally.
You are taking a brave step; you deserve to be well-informed.
Many of my clients came to therapy seeking some relief from distressing symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, OCD, gender dysphoria, challenges with ADHD and Autism, and trauma. However, as therapy progresses, they are often amazed by how their
transformation goes beyond that.
They gain:
✓Deep self-awareness and self-love
✓New ways of meaningfully relating to themselves and others
✓A sense of new courage and strength when confronted with life's challenges
✓ Joy, clarity, and hope in their lives
Dr. Anderson’s Therapy Approach
Humanistic Approach
I See You, Holistically.
You are a human being first before you are my client. Beyond the issues that bring you to therapy, I see you as a whole person. I am responsible for holding whatever you bring to therapy, whether it is sadness, anxiety, sorrow, pain, or despair. These emotions are what make you human.
You are doing the best that you can. However, you also have an innate desire for greatness and fulfillment of your highest potential. That's why you're looking for help. You aspire to be the best version of yourself!
You may be plagued by existential questions like "why am I here?" "Do I matter?" "Life is unfair. Why me?" "Things seem fine. Why can't I be happy?" and "What is the point of life?" We, humans, are innately meaning makers and seekers. In therapy, we will create narratives for your stories that are meaningful and authentic to you and discover what gives you a sense of purpose and meaning in your life.
I am always grateful to work with the "best kind of people" like you. You choose to be vulnerable and honest with yourself. You are be open to self-discovery and growth despite distress. And you are bold enough to take actions in life, such as seeking therapy.
Multicultural Approach
I See You, and All Your Intersecting Social/Cultural Identities.
We are all culturally conditioned as human beings. Our individual difficulties are rooted in larger historical, social, and political forces. Therapy provides a safe space for you to explore your intersecting social/cultural identities, unlearn toxic messages from socialization, and transcend stereotypical social roles. It is also a liberating space to process how social oppression (e.g., racism, classism, ethnocentrism, ableism, sexism, and transphobia) contributes to the systemic trauma and the distress you are experiencing. How you respond to the systemic trauma, or your "symptoms," are normal survival responses.
Your voice, which has been silenced or suppressed, will be amplified in therapy so that you can learn more about your needs, desires, strengths, values, and vision. We will also explore what holistic healing and self-advocacy can look like for you.
Our therapeutic relationship is collaborative. I see myself as a guide and fellow traveler walking alongside you. You are the expert in yourself and your lived experience, and I am here to help you unlock your inner expertise. I will always meet you where you are and within your frame of reference. I respect your self-determination and self-advocacy by providing a safe space for you to exercise them in therapy and real life.
Integrative Approach
I Leverage Different Tools to Maximize Your Growth.
Humans are complicated and multifaceted, and each psychotherapy theory has essential aspects that help us understand them better. If I could only provide one therapy method, I would be putting you in jeopardy—no matter how great the model is. A simple theoretical orientation fails to capture the complexities and nuance of who you are and what you bring to therapy.
I adapt the therapy to you rather than expecting you to adapt to the therapy.
I value your diverse worldviews and diverse ways of sensing, thinking, feeling, and being. Therefore, I integrate a variety of psychotherapy theories and intervention models. In therapy, I create and select the combination of modalities most appropriate for you at a particular time. It means that I will assist you in gaining insights into yourself from various perspectives. It also allows us to test different interventions and tools for your growth to see which ones work best.
Psychotherapy theories and modalities that I often draw from include: Person-centered, Gestalt Therapy, Existential Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Liberation Psychology, Intersectionality Theories, Feminist Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness/Self-Compassion Based Approach, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP, specifically for OCD), Attachment Theory, Family Systems, and Solution-Focused Therapy.
While I follow your lead in therapy, I constantly evaluate the path we are at and provide guidance and direction from moment to moment so that you can arrive at your destination.
Every statement I make and every question I ask has a purpose supported by psychotherapy theories and clinical experiences.
Strengths-Based Approach
I See The Best In You.
We all have our unique strengths, skills, talents, and values. When you are in pain, it can be challenging to see them.
I'm here to help you reconnect with them so you can truly embrace the best version of yourself. I am also here to help you tap into internal sources of strength and resilience and guide you in developing new ways to help yourself.
I tailor new coping strategies or tools to your specific strengths and preferences. We will also explore support systems that fuel your soul and give your a sense of purpose.
You will leave therapy with more self-awareness and incredible tools and resources that will work for you. You can expect profound and long-term change to naturally occur when you take actions supported by your strengths, values, and resources.
Education & Clinical Experiences
-
M.Ed.
Human Development Counseling
Nashville, TN
-
Ph.D.
Counseling Psychology (APA-Accredited)
West Lafayette, IN
While I was pursuing my education and training in the field of counseling psychology, I kept you in mind. One of my most powerful motivations for powering through 7-8 years of graduate school and training was to become the best psychologist I could be for my current and future clients.
I was happily immersed in a sea of knowledge while actively reflecting on my evolving self as a person and a psychologist. I was very deliberate in seeking diverse training opportunities so that I am competent to work with a diverse clientele across the lifespan. I have worked in different clinical settings, such as university counseling centers, testing and assessment clinics, community mental health, inpatient psychiatric hospital, and private practice.
I am fully licensed as a psychologist in West Virginia and Georgia. I also hold an Interjurisdictional Telepsychology license through the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), an interstate compact designed to make telepsychology practice easier across state lines. This means I can now offer online services to any resident of a participating state. PSYPACT is currently active in 31 states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, DC, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin as of 8/7/2022. More and more states are joining forces to help residents gain access to psychologists with the specialties they need. If you have to travel, relocate, or deploy to another state, or if you are a college student returning home to another state, I can continue to see you as long as your state participates in PSYPACT.
