Yujia Dai, MA, Mental Health Clinician

Yujia (she/her) is a Master Level Therapist at Joy.

Yujia (she/her) is a master-level therapist of Joy Mental Fitness, which has locations in Jersey City, New Jersey, and Boston, Massachusetts. Yujia also provides telehealth services to patients throughout New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Yujia is bilingual, proficient in both English and Chinese Mandarin. 

The beginning of this journey

In my life journey, I have witnessed and experienced many moments of sadness, anger, confusion, guilt, and shame. When facing bullies, body shame, unhealthy intimate relationships, and all kinds of life stressors, "I don't know what to do" and "I don't know who to talk to" were once the problems that trapped me in making career and life decisions.

After becoming a therapist, these experiences enabled me to understand the client's story and perspective better. I see their pain and struggle. I respect their avoidance and fear. At the same time, I also cherish the client's desire and expectation to get better. As a therapist, I can provide both a solution or an opinion and an authentic connection of "being trusted and being heard." I speak Mandarin Chinese and English at work. Language is our tool for communication, and emotions are the bond that transcends race, skin color, culture, and faith.

Values and specialties

Solid theoretical learning and more than 3,000 hours of in-field practice laid a professional foundation for my counseling. My diverse background has given me a deep understanding of specific topics, including therapy for LGBTQ+, counseling for international students and immigrants, life transition therapy, and feminism therapy. "Be humble and be curious" is one of my counseling beliefs. Wellness is inextricably linked to an individual's social and cultural identities and the environment in which they live. Clients have unique insights into their own experiences. Each perspective has its meaning and reason for existence.

Therapeutic approaches and skills

I provide individual therapy and couple therapy. The holistic approach enables me to provide support that looks at the whole person, not just their mental health needs. Emotion-focused therapy(EFT) helps us gain awareness of our emotions with a non-judgemental perspective. Emotion guides us in defining preferences and making decisions on a daily basis. Cognitive and behavioral therapy(CBT) brings a structure to understanding our negative and irrational thinking patterns. Acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT) is an action-oriented approach that enables us to stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with inner chaos. With an emphasis on social justice and multiculturalism, I promote wellness for clients across all demographics. I focus on a person-centered, multicultural, and integrated approach to help clients better understand and prepare for the challenges they face.