Fan Fan, MHC-LP, PhD

I believe that the way of the heart is the highest expression of health. Our organism—our bodies, feelings, and dreams—are potent sources of knowledge and valuable guides for how we may live. Sometimes we’re afraid of what we might find. But what would it look like if we gently, bravely, and lovingly peered into ourselves, learning to trust our bodily wisdom and longings of the heart? What would life look like if each action we took were aligned with our values? What might our relationships look like if we dared to express ourselves authentically, with love?

The slow strengthening of these and other muscles is core to my therapeutic philosophy. My approach draws from diverse spiritual and humanistic traditions—including the Ignatian Examen, Jungian psychoanalysis, and traditional Chinese medicine—that invite you to access your vibrant inner resourcefulness for healing.

Together, we will explore somatic (body-based) techniques to help you regulate anxiety. We might turn to your experiences of beauty, the sublime, and the transcendent to make meaning of the difficulties you face. Along the way, we may play, we may laugh. We may analyze dreams. In time, you will become practiced at navigating strong emotions on your own and at harnessing them to more deeply understand yourself and your possible paths.

Before my clinical training, I spent over a decade studying the human experience across unconventional cultural contexts, including researching Chinese migration to Brazil, leading experiential education programs for international schools in Beijing, and teaching at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro through a Fulbright grant. Formerly, I received my PhD in Spanish and Portuguese at New York University, where I also taught language and literature. I received my master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Hunter College.

I offer both short and long-term therapy for individuals, couples and families and am available for sessions in English, Portuguese, Mandarin and Spanish.

Fan Fan can be reached at fanfan@psinyc.org or 917-960-7271.

Areas of Focus:

Anxiety
Depression
Attachment
Life transitions
Writing or other creative blocks
Intercultural / interracial / interfaith relationships
Intergenerational and cultural issues
Strengthening authentic expression
Integrating transcendent experiences
Finding greater life meaning

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Fan Fan also works with groups and facilitates workshops. Previous programming include:

“Nise da Silveira: lenguas inventadas en práctica (Nise da Silveira: Invented Languages in Practice),” an interactive talk/workshop drawn from the life and work of Brazilian psychiatrist, Nise da Silveira. Sorbonne University, Paris.

The Brave Circle

In times that ask a lot of our nervous systems and our hearts, Brave Circle offers a gentle place to pause, breathe, and reconnect. This support group is a warm and inclusive space for Latine individuals to gather in community, tend to emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and remember we are not meant to navigate these moments alone. Through guided conversation, reflection, and shared wisdom, we’ll explore how culture, identity, and relationships shape our mental health, and how we can cultivate balance, resilience, and meaning together. Hosted by the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute, Brave Circle reflects PSI’s commitment to being an effective ally and showing up with care, dignity, and hope for our communities.

En momentos que pesan en nuestro cuerpo y en el corazón, Brave Circle ofrece un espacio para bajar el ritmo, respirar y reconectar. Este grupo de apoyo ofrece comunidad para Latines que buscan cuidar su bienestar emocional y espiritual en buena compañía. A través de pláticas, reflexiones y saberes compartidos, exploramos cómo la cultura, la identidad y los vínculos influyen en nuestra salud mental, y cómo podemos cultivar equilibrio, resiliencia y sentido juntas/os/es. El Brave Circle, ofrecido por el Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute, encarna el compromiso de ser un aliado efectivo, ofreciendo cuidado, respeto y esperanza para nuestras comunidades.