The Sassy Asian Therapist

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Angela Wu, founder of AW Coaching & Consulting, and Angela Pei Wu LMFT, located in West Covina, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

In my therapy practice, I help individuals find healing from trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, as well as navigate acculturation and intergenerational issues, difficult life transitions, and relationship issues. My approach to therapy is strength-based and anti-oppression.

In my coaching practice, I help Asian womxn break barriers that keep them feeling stuck, find and strengthen their voice, and reclaim their empowered selves in order to take up space and combat the harmful narratives that subjugate Asian women.

Tell us about yourself

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Empowerment Coach who is passionate about de-stigmatizing mental health in the AAPI community as well as helping women of color reclaim and raise their voices in order to embody their empowered authentic selves!+

I was a former Teach for America 2012 Corps member and taught in Title 1 high schools in Miami and in San Francisco. I received my Master's of Science in Education and Social Change from the University of Miami. It was through witnessing my students struggle with toxic stress and racial trauma caused by structural inequities that led me to pursue a degree in counseling at Fuller Theological Seminary School of Psychology. My passion for working with culturally diverse and underserved communities with various mental health needs led me to work at the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health agency. With the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic, I saw the need to be a resource for the Asian community. This led me to start my own therapy and coaching practice!

As a 1.5 generation Taiwanese immigrant, I've experienced first-hand the challenges that come with acculturation stress —racial trauma, burdens of being the cultural broker, code-switching, navigating between two worlds but belonging in neither, the model minority myth, imposter syndrome, intergenerational trauma, immigration issues, identity formation, internalized racism, etc.

As an Asian American woman, I have experienced and fought against the fetishization of Asian women and combatted the expectation that Asian women are to "be seen and not heard." By raising my voice to educate on issues that minorities face, I advocate for myself, my community, and marginalized groups.

In my journey of healing, I was able to reclaim parts of myself that had been lost, rejected, and stolen. I have challenged barriers that held me hostage, and I have used my voice to find liberation. I have learned to unlearn dysfunctional familial patterns and have broken generational cycles. I am able to occupy a liminal space, an intentional space of belonging and of not fully belonging, in order to be someone who connects to all of humanity. I believe that deep suffering can lead to profound healing if encountered with the right tools, space, and people. My own experience of liberation and healing motivates me to help others find that for themselves!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My greatest accomplishment has been being able to help women find healing through having powerful encounters with their authentic selves. I walk alongside them in their journey of embodying their empowered selves in order to break free from limiting mindsets that keep them in paralysis. It is my ultimate joy to see my clients find liberation and see them align with their true selves and their purpose.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The hardest thing for me as a business owner is setting boundaries. I feel like I traded my 9-5 for a 24/7! As a small business owner, you have so many different roles, and the work can seem never-ending. I've learned the importance of caring for myself and guarding my energy by saying "no" to opportunities that do not align with my vision and mission.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Know and believe in yourself-- when you do that, your authentic self and values will reflect in the business you run. This will also protect you from the comparison because you know that what you bring is unique.
Find your fire--when things get difficult, you need to find your source of motivation and fuel in order to remind yourself of your "why."
Self-care-- this is an important one (and the therapist in me speaking). It can be easy to get lost in work, especially when starting off, but it's important to pace yourself and not burn out before you start! Find things to do that fill you up and give you life! Be intentional in scheduling breaks and be "offline."

I've developed a group coaching program to help individuals unpack their Asian experience in order to better align with their cultural identities and lead trainings to educate on and advocate for AAPI mental health.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.thesassyasiantherapist.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelawulmft
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesassyasiantherapist/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-wu-869b158b/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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