Chuying (Selestia) Lin, M.Phil.ED
Clinical Fellow

Availability and Scheduling:

Ms. Lin sees clients online over video (telehealth) Monday-Friday. She also sees clients in-person at our Lincoln Park location (561 W Diversey Pkwy) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Ms. Lin has availability for new clients. If you’re interested in working with her, you can book an appointment below!

Many of us learn who we're expected to be long before we have the chance to discover who we truly are. Over time, you may find yourself disconnected from your own voice as you try to meet the expectations of family, relationships, culture, or society. You may be so used to pushing toward the next goal, finding the right answer, or doing what’s expected that slowing down to notice what you actually need can feel unfamiliar. Therapy offers a space to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and explore who you are while honoring the relationships and communities that have shaped you.

Growing up in Guangdong, China, and later pursuing my education and clinical training in the United States has deeply influenced how I understand identity, culture, and belonging. I know that culture shapes how we express emotions, ask for support, make sense of our experiences, and connect with the people we love. As a bilingual therapist, I provide therapy in both English and Mandarin, creating a culturally responsive, LGBTQ+ affirming space where you can feel seen, respected, and welcomed exactly as you are. 

I especially enjoy working with Asian and Asian American clients, including college students, graduate students, and young professionals navigating anxiety, depression, acculturation stress, identity exploration, academic or career pressures, and major life transitions. I'm also passionate about supporting LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly those balancing their identities within more traditional or conservative cultural or family environments. Whether you're questioning where you belong, feeling caught between different worlds, or simply longing to feel more like yourself, you don't have to navigate it alone.

I view therapy as a collaborative relationship built on trust, curiosity, and compassion. Together, we’ll explore what’s contributing to your current challenges, gently untangle patterns that may have been weighing on you, and make space for the emotions and uncertainty that can get lost when you’re focused on finding the “right” answer. From there, we can build practical tools that align with your values and support the life you want to create. My approach is grounded in Relational-Cultural Theory and Feminist Therapy while also integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), strengths-based approaches, and somatic practices to support meaningful, lasting change.

My hope is that therapy helps you feel more connected to yourself, more confident in navigating life's challenges, and more empowered to create relationships and a life that feel authentic to who you are. You deserve a space where every part of your story is welcomed, and I'd be honored to walk alongside you as you move toward healing, connection, and growth.

你可能常常面对着许多期待,在不同的文化之间寻找自己的位置,在不同的关系中扮演着

不同的角色。你一直努力适应,却仍会对自己究竟属于哪里、想成为什么样的人感到迷茫

。无论是焦虑、抑郁和身份探索,还是关系中的困扰、文化适应带来的压力和人生阶段的

转变,都可能让我们更难听见自己的声音。

在咨询中,我们可以一起慢慢理清这些困扰,深入理解这些经历如何影响着你——更重要

的是,看见并肯定那些支持着你一路走来的力量。你会更了解自己,更有勇气接纳自己,

最终成为自己

跨文化的成长与生活经历,让我致力于关注家庭、文化和社会期待如何影响我们的身份、

性别与亲密关系。对我来说,每一段经历都值得被理解与接纳。你不需要把自己的某些部

分藏起来,也不需要迎合某一种“应该成为的样子”。

如果你正处在人生的某个节点,或者只是想更理解自己,咨询也许能让你慢下来,听见自

己的声音。

Experience

During my clinical training, I provided individual and group therapy in both school and hospital outpatient settings, supporting adolescents and adults from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and lived experiences. I've had the privilege of working with women of color, college and graduate students, international students, LGBTQ+ individuals, and clients navigating identity development, life transitions, anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges.  

In addition to my clinical work, I'm passionate about continuing to learn and grow as a therapist. I stay engaged with research on depression and anxiety, identity development, attachment, LGBTQ+ mental health, and family relationships, allowing me to bring an evidence-informed, culturally responsive approach to my work. My goal is to thoughtfully integrate current research with compassionate, individualized care so that therapy feels both meaningful and practical for each person I work with.

Licensure

As a Clinical Fellow, I am gaining the necessary experience and supervision to obtain my clinical license (LCPC). I will consistently receive training and education to inform my practice and gain more tools for my clients. I am working under the supervision of Lauren Schmalbruch, LCPC.

THERAPIST SPECIALITIES

Client focus

LANGUAGES

  • English

  • Mandarin

Location

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna

  • BCBS PPO

  • Blue Choice PPO

  • United Healthcare/Optum

Licensure

  • Supervised Clinical Fellow

Education

  • M.Phil. Ed in Professional Counseling, 2026, University of Pennsylvania

  • B.A., Psychology and History, 2024, Mount Holyoke College

You Don’t Need to Be Fixed

Therapy isn’t about finding what’s “wrong” with you and fixing it. Selestia offers a space to gently untangle what has been weighing on you, understand how your experiences have shaped you, and explore what you want for yourself moving forward.

It’s Okay to Slow Down

When you’re used to pushing toward the next goal, slowing down can feel surprisingly difficult. Selestia creates space to pause, notice what you’re feeling, and make room for uncertainty—without expecting yourself to always know the “right” answer or move forward in a perfectly straight line.

You Can Say No in Therapy

Your voice matters in the therapy room—including when the answer is “no.” Selestia welcomes questions, concerns, and honest feedback, and you never have to share something before you feel ready. Therapy is a collaboration, and finding a pace and approach that feels comfortable to you is part of the process.