Cathy Wang, LMHC

Therapy can be understood in many different ways, but at the heart of my work is a simple belief: we have a profound capacity for change
through connection, understanding, and care.

With greater understanding comes more choice. We can begin to notice how you’ve learned to protect yourself and what protections you may no longer need. You can decide what parts of your story you want to carry forward and what you’re ready to leave behind. Over time, this can open up new ways of living and relating that feel more fully your own.

My style is warm, curious, and honest. I draw from psychodynamic,
relational, and humanistic approaches with a particular interest in
the patterns that shape how you experience yourself and the people
around you. Together, we may explore how your past echoes into the
present and the roles you find yourself taking on in relationships. We
can look at how you’ve learned to seek closeness, protect yourself, or
hold parts of yourself back. We can also pay attention to what unfolds
between us in the therapy room, using our relationship as a place to notice familiar patterns and make room for something new. I’m especially interested in working with people navigating relationships and codependency, complex trauma, gender and sexuality, depression and isolation, anxiety, family conflict, and major life transitions. I also have experience supporting new immigrants including children, teens, and families as they find their footing in new environments while navigating questions of identity, belonging, and connection.

My clinical experience working with low-income and immigrant communities has shaped the way I understand mental health. Our inner lives are shaped by our families, cultures, communities, and the larger systems we move through. As a queer immigrant myself, I bring lived experience of what it can mean to live across identities and worlds: to adapt, to belong, to feel different, and to find ways of becoming more fully yourself. I’m especially drawn to the resilience, possibility, liberation, and joy our identities can hold.

I’m a bilingual therapist offering sessions in English and Mandarin (中文) and a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). I
hold an MA and MEd in Psychological Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University.

My hope is that therapy becomes a place where all of you is welcome, including the parts that are uncertain, contradictory, unfinished, or still finding their voice. A place to listen for what feels true, discover what feels possible, and find your own way forward.

To learn more or set up an appointment with Smile call (646) 770-0535 or email us at info@realtalktherapynyc.com.