About Me
Welcome! My name is Avery Chao. Originally from Taiwan, I call New York City home. I’ve created this space to share writing, reflections, arts, and insights about psychology and humanity.
Here, what I really want to share with you is my connection to Internal Family Systems (IFS) and art therapy. As an art therapist, I have a deep passion for attachment and trauma work. I’ve been fortunate to attend various training programs over the past decade. That journey felt a bit like dating—I tried many approaches, but eventually, there was this moment of resonance came Internal Family Systems. Yet, oddly enough, this connection felt incredibly familiar.
Each of us has an internal system made up of different "Parts", each with its own jobs and intentions, and even conflicting intentions. Through creative expression, sensory exploration, or simply by allowing ourselves to open up, we can create space for these inner to be felt, seen, acknowledged, and understood. When these parts start to unburden, our inner world becomes expansive—like a room that’s finally opened up and filled light and warmth. I believe our work is not to become a “better version” of ourselves but to see parts as our inner resources for self-integration and connect with the world from the inside out, but to become yourself.
My Story
Moving from Taiwan to the States, with many years of experience working with Asian communities, I have gained a profound understanding of the various challenges faced by international students, professionals, and first or second-generation immigrant families in the United States. These challenges encompass the hardships of language and cultural adjustment, as well as the friction experienced in cross-cultural identity.
In addition, I regularly pursue professional development to provide more holistic support. I firmly believe that differences in race, culture, occupation, sexual orientation, and more are sources of individual uniqueness. This diversity fosters tolerance and compassion within humanity. I'm committed to respecting every person's life story, and I look forward to collaborating with you on your journey to a healthier, more meaningful life.
Furthermore, I am dedicated to supporting young professional growth. Currently, I am a site supervisor for art therapy interns from NYU and SVA. Additionally, I firmly believe that healing can also be integrated into our daily lives. Therefore, from time to time, I share professional knowledge and insights on my social media platforms, whether through artistic creations or written content.
Therapeutic Approaches
As an integrative therapist, I believe that establishing a strong therapeutic relationship and possessing counseling skills are equally important. Through my own journey of self-healing, I have come to deeply understand that sharing one's innermost concerns with a stranger (that's me, your therapist) can be quite a challenge. Therefore, I aim to showcase my professional skills in a warm, creative, and even playful manner. Despite being a professional counselor, I'm just someone who has a profound passion for both art and psychology, which is why I emphasize that you are the master of your own life.
I am a certified Trauma Focused -Cognitive Behavior Therapist. This approach can assist you in understanding your challenges from a trauma-informed perspective. I'll assist you in externalizing the issues, recognizing that 'I have a problem, but I am not the problem.' This helps you reframe your cognitions, skillfully address issues, and identify irrational beliefs, ultimately leading to behavioral changes. I incorporate art therapy and MBSR to convey these concepts in a more effective and creative way.
Of course, there are times when we all feel like we understand the logic, but somehow, we just can't put it into practice. In such situations, I draw on art therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). I excel in exploring individuals from an attachment and emotion-focused perspective, gradually integrating emotions, mental and physical feelings, and spirit. From the inside out, from the individual to the broader societal and cultural context, the ultimate goal is to guide you toward self-integration.
Specialties
Anxiety, depression, high achiever, internal conflict, trauma, attachment, life transition and adjustment, sexual identity, relationship issues, couples & parent-child therapy, grief, self-harming, low self-esteem, parenting coaching (pregnancy to early childhood)
License & Certificate
License: New York State / Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) #002513
American Board Certified and Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC)
Degree: Long Island University/Master’s in Clinical Art Therapy and Counseling
Degree: Taipei Municipal University of Education/Bachelor of Counseling Psychology
Certified: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Certificate: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Certificate: Parent-child Intensive Certification (Ackerman Institute for the Family)
Certificate: Sensorimotor Art Therapy-Guided Drawing®
Advanced training: Internal Family System (IFS) Level 2
Advanced training: AEDP Immersion
Advanced training: Internal Family System (IFS) Circle
Advanced training: Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) Core Skills
Advanced training: Integrating EMDR, Internal Family Systems and Art Therapy
Advanced training: Integrating Art Therapy with Psychodrama
Advanced training: Attachment Trauma with Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT)
Experience
On-Site Supervisor for graduate-level students from New York University (NYU) and the School of Visual Arts (SVA)
Ally Counseling and Therapy
Stuyvesant High School (New York)
University Settlement Society of New York Early Childhood
OHEL Kadimah PROS Psych Outpatient
Kids Esteem Montessori School
Taichung Veterans Hospital Psychiatry Department Suicide Prevention
Lung-An Elementary School
Taipei City Hospital Department of Psychiatry
About Peipei
Meet Peipei, our therapy cat extraordinaire! Peipei has attended all the IFS, EFT and TFCBT training sessions with me, and in the cat world, she's pretty much certified. Peipei is incredibly interactive and engaged, often making surprise appearances during online therapy sessions, much to the delight of my clients. She also doubles as my muse for Instagram illustrations, proving that she's a cat of many talents. Here, we like to keep things both humorous and professional, and Peipei embodies just that.
As an art therapist, I passionately embrace the profound therapeutic potential of art. When creativity becomes the wellspring of inner resilience, it offers a transformative journey. Through art, I constantly evolve, both as a therapist and as a human being.
For more information about specific art pieces or to make a purchase inquiry, please contact me via email.
