We recently connected with Zhi wei Zheng and have shared our conversation below.
Zhi wei, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?
Yes, this was a very clear moment in both my professional career and personal life. It was a moment where I quite literally lost my mind.
Leading up to that moment, life was going pretty well on paper. I have built a career as a Software Developer and there was a nice sense of financial security there. My relationships (family, friends, and romantic) weren’t perfect but there was still plenty to appreciate. So on the surface, all was well but I was hiding an inner struggle. I was anxious. I was insecure. I was overthinking. I was scared. And I was deeply depressed.
I felt so empty during those years but I got good at masking the pain with a smile. Beneath the smile I was constantly overthinking, imagining fearful scenarios in my head, feeling scared, and yearning for a deeper sense of purpose. My mind was a mess.
I eventually reached a breaking point. Everything in my being told me to go to Peru to work with a plant medicine that’s been used for generations to treat both mental and spiritual illnesses. I don’t know if I fully believed it at the time but I was desperate and the pull towards it only grew stronger
What I experienced during the treatment process was nothing short of life-changing. I completely lost my ability to communicate and quite literally lost my mind. For certain, I would have been institutionalized had I stayed in that state. To make matters worse, my self-critical and insecure thoughts were greatly amplified. “you are so ugly”, “no one will ever love you again”, “you are crazy”, “you are a failure” were the thoughts swirling in my head for what felt like an eternity. This was my very own personal hell.
Looking back, this hellish experience was part of the healing process. Like a home built on poor foundations being completely demolished and rebuilt on stable grounds, the demolishing of how my mind used to operate was a very jarring and chaotic experience.
Thankfully, as the process came to a close, I found my center. I found mental stability and I finally felt mentally well.
If I were to choose only one insight to share from that experience it would be:
“Thoughts are like seeds. The ones we water with our focus and attention are the ones that grow”
Following that experience, I knew I had something invaluable to share with others who struggle with their mental health. I pivoted my career from Software Development to Mental Health Coaching and it has been an incredible adventure ever since.
Zhi wei, 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?
Hi! My name is Zhi wei Zheng (my friends call me Z) and mental health is a passion of mine.
I am a mental health coach and I help people learn inner tools to navigate their struggles.
Mostly I work with those who may be experiencing some form of anxiety or depression, I work with them in a 1-on-1 capacity as well as in a group setting. I teach inner skills like regulating emotions, settling thoughts so they don’t spiral into anxiety, and how to process their traumas.
As someone who was formerly depressed and anxious, this is a very personal mission of mine. I experienced firsthand the heaviness, the emptiness, and the kind of indescribable pain that so many are currently going through. It wouldn’t be farfetched to say we’re currently healing through a period of “Great Depression”, except this is much more literal. This is not an economic depression but a depression of the human mind and spirit. Many are left leading lives where they don’t have a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging, and are left in the dark when it comes to how find relief for their inner struggles. Everyone deserves release from that and I’m here to help.
My approach differs from traditional talk therapy in that I like to structure a treatment plan in 1-3 month(s) blocks. There’s a clear end goal, a clear completion date, and a level of commitment required to see through the process. And for those who only require some light support, I suggest standalone sessions or group sessions. The goal is to heal and grow; eventually becoming self-standing and self-sufficient.
To reach and support more people, I create free content relating to mental health and inner work on my Instagram and YouTube. My proudest moments are always receiving “thank you” messages through social media channels and through clients directly regarding the positive changes they have experienced. There were times, especially in the beginning of my career, where I faced insecurities about whether I was truly making a difference. Then as I worked with people ranging from teenagers with social anxiety to those close to retirement seeking to improve their relationship(s), the multiple heartfelt thank you messages affirmed the work I was doing and the impact it was having.
I am so proud and honored to be on this path of service.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
One of the most helpful skill for succeeding in the field of mental health is knowing how to deeply listen. Listening to the client and recognizing their emotional needs behind the word.
For example, “I’m upset because I’m not being publicly recognized for my contributions in this organization” can mean “I feel unseen”.
“he never listens” can mean “I feel unheard”
Silence or shutting down can mean “I don’t feel safe anymore to share my true thoughts and feelings”
Being able to hear the meaning behind their words and pick up on deeper emotional needs has made the biggest difference in having a breakthrough session versus having a more challenging session.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
This may not be a singular story but it does illustrate resilience.
Whether a potential client says “this isn’t what I’m looking for” or “I can’t afford this”, getting a no is an experience every entrepreneur can relate with. As an entrepreneur, it used to mess with my personal sense of self-worth.
“Am I not worth it?”
“Is what I offer not valuable?”
And truthfully, I didn’t have an answer. Maybe I was dreaming. Maybe this short stunt as a mental health coach was just that, a short stunt and not all that I made it out to be. All these “maybe’s” was watering the seed of doubt and I thought about giving up many times.
Yet, it was always in these disheartening moments when support and guidance came into my life. It was my dearest friends who would always encourage me to keep going. Sometimes a new client that’s eager to work with me or a current client sending a thank you note would come at these perfect moments to remind me to keep going.
“Keep going, you are worth it.”
I saw that a “no” is not a rejection meant to be taken personally. It is a redirection meant to bring me closer to who I’m meant for. Resilience is another way of saying “how much do you believe in yourself?”. As entrepreneurs, we can’t ask others to believe in our dreams if our own belief is not firm.
Let us be resilient together and continue believing with an unshakeable vigor.
Contact Info:
- Website: momentswithz.com
- Instagram: momentswithzhi
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MomentsWithZ
Image Credits
PAOLO JAY PHOTOGRAPHY LLC