A quickie interview with CTC therapist, Candice Wu.
Talk about your therapy style and who you are as a therapist.
My ideal client is an adolescent, adult, couple, or family who is interested in growth and moving toward lasting change. They may be interested in knowing who they are on a deeper level or moving toward what they love in life. An ideal client may hope to navigate their daily life in ways that feel more complete and true to themselves. They may be seeking a compassionate space to process difficult past experiences or physical symptoms that affect them today.
Talk about your therapy style and who you are as a therapist.
My therapy style is a combination of person-centered, relational and holistic approaches. I believe that everyone experiences difficult emotions or struggles, and that we each have the innate potential towards growth and healing. I view sensations and symptoms in the body such as headaches, insomnia, indigestion, fatigue, pain, and anxiety, as manifestations of stored experiences and beliefs.
With a collaborative approach, I blend expertise from Ayurveda (ancient Indian holistic health) and yoga to help people partner with their bodies to gain awareness and to relieve bodily symptoms. Additionally, I specialize in EMDR, a technique to process and relieve suffering from trauma, negative beliefs, intense feelings, and reactive patterns.
As a couple’s therapist, I work to build intimacy, connection, and understanding using the Gottman method and body-centered techniques. In addition, I am bicultural and understand the complexities that can arise with holding many identities. I enjoy working with people who hold a variety of cultural identities, beliefs, and values.
What self-care advice do you have? How can someone improve their self-care?
I believe that we can best take care of ourselves when we honor what we really desire. To do this, I find it important to balance stillness and action, as stillness allows us to hear the quiet whispers of our souls. Renew your connection with yourself by reflecting on these questions:
-When do I feel most self-expressed or most like myself?
-How much of my life is spend feeling this way?
-When do I feel drained or that I am doing something out of obligation?
-How much time do I spend feeling this way?
-What stops me from moving toward what I really desire?
Listen to not only what your mind says, but the messages from your heart and body in the form of sensations and feelings.
What recommendations do you have to decrease the stress of parenting and homelife?
My advice is to make time to connect with yourself. This is not always easy, but necessary. Also, slow down your interactions with your loved ones and take the time to look each other in the eyes before speaking.
What do you do for your own self-care?
I practice being instead of doing and add in loving kindness, simplicity, play, and gentleness. Also, I pick up cues from my surroundings to gauge my stress levels. I find that our external world and relationships are reflection of our internal worlds and relationships with ourselves. It’s a good sign when my home becomes cluttered or when I find tension in my relationships that something inside me would like some attention.
What do you like about being a therapist?
As a therapist, I find it fulfilling to see others become a more whole version of themselves. I feel honored to share in the depths of other’s lives and to witness a growth of possibilities. I appreciate the many dimensions of human suffering and joy, and enjoy facilitating a space where people find a deeper connection with themselves, and therefore strengthen their connection with others and the places they inhabit.
You can follow Candice Wu on Twitter at @EmbodyOurNature.