Sonya (Xiangya) Gao

LPC

• Texas, Licensed Professional Counselor, 75083

Sonya (Xiangya) Gao is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Texas, who earned her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. With 7 years’ experience, Sonya acquired extensive knowledge of counseling treatments, assessment strategies and crisis intervention skills. Sonya has worked with multifaceted patient populations from serious mentally ill, developmental delayed, personality disorders, to anxiety, depression, PTSD, as well as situational distress and adjustment issues. Sonya utilizes an eclectic treatment style including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy. Her flexibility allows her to provide treatment interventions based on each client’s unique concerns and needs. Sonya believes each individual has the strength and potential to empower themselves to combat their issues and to live a life they find to be fulfilling. By creating a safe and comfortable therapeutic environment, Sonya and her client, together, can work to challenge irrational thinking, adjust unhealthy patterns, develop self-awareness, explore coping strategies, and combat emotional distress. Sonya is also passionate about educating and developing new generation therapists. Serving as a member of the Student Advisory Council for the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Clinical Mental Health department, Sonya shares her insight and ambition to help ensure high quality education for future mental health professionals.