I grew up in a single-parent Chinese family, with a mother who cared deeply about me but was also a perfectionist. Her love often came in the form of lectures and often times, unrealistic expectations for a child. As a result, I didn’t have a strong sense of self-worth, and I was resorting to doing well in school, mastering new hobbies in a crazy short amount of time, and being helpful to others as a way to feel valuable.
I’ve always been a curious person. When I love something, I can immerse myself in it completely (it's called hyperfocusing), but staying consistent has been a lifelong challenge due to my ADHD. Socially, I’ve also faced struggles because of ASD, which has made me feel different from my neurotypical peers since a young age. These challenges taught me that there was very little outside of myself that I could depend on.
During my years at MIT and UC Berkeley, I continued to pour my energy into learning and achieving with hyperindependence. After graduation, I found a job that truly excited me. I gave it 120% effort every day until the pandemic hit. Working from home and stuck in the house 24/7, I completely lost the external structure that had held me together, and my inner world collapsed. I was soon diagnosed with ADHD, and years later, with ASD.
Since then, I’ve been on a journey of understanding through mindfulness, Buddhist practice, therapy, and continuous study of psychology and human relationships. These experiences helped me not only make peace with who I am, but also learn how to meet the world from a grounded, compassionate place. I've learned how to support and give tangible, practical advice to my friends and family without stepping onto their boundaries. I'm currently supporting 10+ clients and peers through their life and career challenges, one session at a time.
Today, I work in tech while also co-running an online feminist community with my partner. When I'm not working to support others, I enjoy languages, music, and a good book.