Jiayi Shao (she/they)

MHC-LP
Accepting Clients

Jiayi Shao (she/they) is a queer psychotherapist based in New York City, practicing in both English and Mandarin.

Mental Health Counselor in NEW YORK, NY
Supervised by LCSW

About My Clients

I often think of therapy as learning to listen to a river underground —that quiet but persistent current of feeling beneath our everyday selves. Sometimes surfacing as a spring, clear and alive, carrying something forgotten back into the light. My role isn't to chart the river for you, but to walk beside you as we gently uncover its rhythm, depth, and the places where it might have gotten blocked or redirected.

My Background and Approach

My clinical background includes training in IFS (Internal Family Systems), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), and somatic therapy. I integrate these approaches with my background in Zen Buddhism and improvisational theater, often weaving in metaphor, imagery, and body-based awareness to support clients in reconnecting with clarity and self-trust.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I work with clients who feel deeply—those who sense too much, think too hard, carry the weight of being “not enough” or hold stories no one else seems to hear. Therapy with me is like walking beside a stream—sometimes clear, sometimes murky—then finding a small, steady fire nearby. A place to rest. A place for real questions. Who am I—without the performing and the need to prove? Who do I long for—and why do I pull away? What in me is still waiting to be heard? ...You're invited to begin—if and when you're ready.

I have experience with the following
  • Buddhism

At A Glance

  • Experience: 3 years of practice
  • Languages: 中文 (普通话)
  • Rate: $200 - 250/session

Info

Email Jiayi
208 E. 31st St.
NEW YORK, NY 10016

Reach out to Jiayi