We recently connected with Rose Yang and have shared our conversation below.

Rose, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

A defining moment in my career was when I was working with a client for therapy in a community mental health clinic in a rural area of Arkansas. I was completing my internship in clinical psychology and was just getting acquainted with the culture of Arkansas. This client was a man in his mid twenties who was feeling incredibly lonely in his family and career. He felt like an outcast and spoke about never feeling understood or accepted in his life. In our sessions, he noted the pervasive feeling of shame that he was not and never would be good enough. Although he was a quiet man and was hesitant to speak, we developed a good rapport as our sessions continued. In about our fifth session, I mentioned a song about loneliness and a desire for belonging that reminded me of him. We listened to it together and he became very tearful. When we talked about his experience, he noted how he felt seen by this song and that I was holding him in mind, which was such a novel experience for him. This moment was a defining moment of my career because it taught me the profound value of human compassion, even if it is not within the typical space of talk therapy.

Rose, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a clinical psychologist and started my private practice in 2025. Prior to 2025, I worked at The Menninger Clinic for 8 years in inpatient units serving adults and young adults. I am passionate about helping individuals with a variety of mental health needs, including concerns around anxiety, depression, trauma, perinatal issues, acculturation difficulties, and minority identities. As a person of color who immigrated from China as a young child, I have a unique perspective on therapy and what I can bring to the table. My clinical experience is also unique in that I have worked with individuals mildly affected by their symptoms to those who are very debilitated by their symptoms, which often require inpatient intervention. As a a result, I work well with chronic suicidality, psychosis, or other symptoms that merit more support. I think that is a unique aspect about my practice specifically – I am able to work with more chronic mental health diagnoses on an outpatient basis. It is incredibly rewarding for me to work with clients who go from struggling from attending to activities of daily living to thriving in their careers, families, and friendships.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

I truly believe that empathy and compassion for the human condition is a must for succeeding as a clinician in my field. I can learn all the skills, theories, and interventions I want, but if I am lacking in compassion, my clients will not want to work with me. Most clients want to be in a nonjudgmental, safe, space where their therapist is also a human with the capacity to not only acknowledge their suffering, but to be a compassionate other. I think clients can feel it from the get go if their therapist does not feel this.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I would absolutely choose the field of clinical psychology all over again! I have no regrets in my career and am very happy about the path I took. Initially, I had wanted to be a forensic psychologist working in the correctional field. However, I realized that the burnout was not worth it and also knew that I did not want to end up resenting my clients or my career. So, I’m very happy I chose to do clinical psychology and have found such growth and passion in this field.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cerulean-therapy.com

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