Xian Zhang, Psy.D., LMHCA
Clinical Counselor and Postdoctoral Fellow
(Pronouns: She/Her)
In-Network Insurance
- Kaiser PPO/First Choice
- Kaiser HMO with Pre-authorization
- Premera/Lifewise
- most BCBS plans
Contact information
A Bit About Me
Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to see if we might be a good fit in your therapy journey. I believe therapy is a deeply collaborative and relational process. By co-creating a nurturing space to notice and explore the narratives shaped by your familial, cultural, and systemic environments, we can foster greater flexibility and freedom towards your authentic self.
I was born in Shanghai, and later moved to the UK, then the US. As a bilingual immigrant with experience living in various regions across the US, I deeply resonate with “third culture kids,” who often develop the adaptability to create a sense of “home” wherever they are, while navigating the complexities of identity and belongingness across shifting environments.
Before pursuing psychology, I spent over seven years working in public health across Africa and Asia. This experience gave me a profound appreciation for the boundless ways of being across cultures, while also highlighting how power dynamics continue to shape inequitable systems. During my time in Laos, I met my husband, and it has been a joy and work in progress to embrace and navigate the richness of a multicultural marriage.
I completed my graduate studies in Denver and trained in hospital systems in Denver and New York. Throughout my clinical training, I have focused on enacting culturally humble and decolonized stances in psychological practice, to serve populations who have been disproportionately impacted by colonialism, oppression, and systemic, intergenerational traumas. I am inspired by postcolonial, intersectional, and non-Eurocentric ways of knowing, as written about by Frantz Fanon and Boaventura de Sousa Santos.
Outside of work, I enjoy exploring the natural beauty of the land and water that belonged to the 29 indigenous tribal nations in what is now Washington. I enjoy birding, kayaking, and beach bonfires. At home, I love gardening, cooking for loved ones, eating every dessert in Seattle, and buying increasingly expensive accessories for our cat, Pickles.
In our therapeutic relationship, your sense of security and trust is my utmost priority. I am committed to fostering a space where you feel genuinely known, understood, and validated. I will be attentive to nonverbal ways of expression and will encourage an environment where it is safe for you to embody and express your emotions.
When you are describing real world stressors or interpersonal difficulties that occur outside of therapy, it can be useful to slow down and vivify those challenges within therapy, to examine the deeper emotional underpinnings present. During each moment of therapy, I am continuously working to tailor what I offer next to maximize the potential benefit to you, and to best speak to your unique constellation of needs, worries, and goals in the moment.
My style is open, warm, and empathetic. I will actively engage with you and offer observations or gentle challenges if it might be helpful for your goals. I don’t take myself too seriously and will invite lightheartedness into the space if helpful. It would be my genuine honor to walk alongside you as we explore and make sense of the stories that have shaped who you are and how you move through the world.
My therapeutic approaches draw from feminist, liberation, and social justice-oriented philosophies. My goal is to honor and amplify your own wisdoms and worldviews while acknowledging the inherent systematic dynamics that we all live within. My integrative theory of change is rooted in attachment-based, relational, psychodynamic, trauma-informed, existential-humanistic, and systematic perspectives. This means we may be curious about how you see yourself, the ways in which you relate to others, and the complex, ever-changing dynamics that influence these processes. When we consider presenting concerns, I find value in looking look beyond the individual to consider how you might have been impacted by early experiences, family roadmaps, and societal values and oppressions. I aim to give equal voice to non-Western values and am considerate of how cultural systems may be shaping individual resiliencies and difficulties. By gaining greater self-awareness of how these factors impact our routine behaviors, decision-making and coping strategies, you can experience greater liberation to live authentically according to your values. To support emotional regulation, I weave in interventions that enhance grounding and mindfulness, to transform your relationship with your thoughts and emotions. My commitment to serving BIPOC folx brought me to a specialty in serious mental illness, due to the intersections with trauma, chronic stressors, and unmet relational needs.
When working with couples or family systems, I draw from Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) to delve into the core attachment needs and interpersonal strategies that are animating the relationship between each person. This is meant to facilitate your expression of authentic feelings, vulnerabilities, and needs with each other.
University of Denver
PsyD in Clinical Psychology (2024)
MA in Clinical Psychology (2022)
MA in International Development, Global Health Certificate (2013)
Mt Sinai/Elmhurst Hospital, Queens, NY
Denver Health Hospital, Denver, CO
STRIDE Community Health Center, Denver, CO
Salvation Army Harbor Light (substance use rehabilitation center), Denver, CO
Professional Psychology Clinic & The Sturm Center, University of Denver, Denver, CO
Areas of Expertise
- Acculturation, immigration experiences, identity development, and navigating intersectional identities
- Barriers to meaningful connection or interpersonal difficulties
- Family dynamics and systems work
- Relationship concerns, including navigating cross-cultural communication and conflict
- Impacts of trauma and complex trauma
- Asian and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) mental health
- Impacts of oppression and privilege
- Life transitions and adjustment; especially related to health concerns
- Existential and humanistic approaches
- Mood symptoms such as depression, bipolar disorder
- Anxiety
- Recovery after psychosis; support for ongoing management of severe and persistent mental health concerns
I adhere to the ethical code as established by the American Psychological Association, and the professional standards as described in the Washington State Psychology Licensing Laws (RCW 18.83, 18.130, and WAC 308-122). If you have any concerns about the treatment you receive, please feel free to discuss them with me. If I fail to respond to your satisfaction, you have the right to register a complaint with the Department of Health, Washington State Examining Board of Psychology, PO Box 47868, Olympia, WA 98504, (253) 753-2147. You may also register a complaint to the Ethics Committee of the Washington State Psychological Association at (206) 363-9772.