Meeting You Where You Are
I'm Christine Yau — a trilingual counsellor and psychotherapist in Sydney, working in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. My intention is to be the steady, attuned presence I didn't have growing up. I know this terrain, because I've walked it myself.
I've lived across Hong Kong, mainland China, the UK and Australia, and worked in the corporate world, education and research - including a PhD in Education at the University of Cambridge. Those crossings taught me how disorienting change can be — and how deeply we long for clarity and connection.
So many of the people I work with have learned to live from the outside in — shaped by others' expectations, by 'shoulds,' by the next milestone — until they've lost touch with any 'why' of their own. My work is to help you find it again: to reconnect with your inner knowing, the steadier sense of self that comes when head, heart and body are finally in conversation with each other.
I do this through attunement — noticing what usually goes unseen. The drive behind the perfectionism. The wound behind the self-criticism. The longing beneath the achievement. When those things are met, something shifts — and you begin to find your way back to a 'yes' that's genuinely your own.
Sessions are in English, Cantonese (粵語) or Mandarin (普通話) — in the language and culture you feel most at home in.
My Approach
My approach is relational, collaborative, and deeply respectful of your inner world. I see each person as the expert in their own experience, and my role is to support you in uncovering the meanings, patterns, and possibilities already within you.
My work draws from attachment theory, trauma-informed care, and nervous system awareness, while also being shaped by decades of experience in one-to-one teaching and mentoring relationships. I listen not only to your words, but to the rhythm of your pace, your hesitations, your silences—believing that every part of you makes sense in the context of your story.
In this space, we slow down together, the therapeutic relationship itself becomes a vehicle for healing—a place where your emotions can be held safely, where new ways of relating to yourself can emerge.
I also weave in psychoeducation when helpful—explaining how the nervous system responds to stress, or how certain attachment patterns shape your responses—so you can better understand and navigate what’s happening inside you. The work is not always easy, but it is always yours. I’m simply here to facilitate and walk beside you.
What I Believe In —
Authenticity
I value spaces where people can be real—messy, unsure, curious, and fully human. In therapy, all parts of you are welcome, especially those long hidden to survive. There’s no pressure to perform—only an invitation to be. I believe in showing up with presence, humility, and care—walking alongside you as you find your way back to yourself.
Connection
We are wired for connection, and many of our wounds were formed in relationships. That’s why being truly seen, heard, and accepted in relationship is also where healing begins. I believe that connection—to ourselves, to others, and to our inner knowing—is essential for wellbeing.
Growth
Healing is not about becoming someone new—it’s about reclaiming the parts of you that were silenced or forgotten. Growth happens when we feel safe enough to turn inward with honesty and compassion, allowing the truth of our experience to emerge.
Qualifications & Memberships
Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Western Sydney University
PhD in Education, University of Cambridge, UK
Certified Practicing Member, Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA, Registration ID: 31069)
Languages: English | Chinese (Mandarin 普通話 and Cantonese 粵語)
Book a Free Intro Call
An introductory call is a chance for us to meet, answer any questions you may have, and see if we’re a good fit. There’s no pressure—just a gentle first step toward the support you’re looking for.