Attachment-based and
Trauma-informed Therapy with
Nicole Yao Bron

Mental Health Counselor

About Me

I am Nicole Yao Bron, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) in Washington State. I earned my Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Concordia University Irvine, California. I provide therapy to individuals and couples in person in Shanghai and online anywhere in Washington State or in China.I approach therapy with curiosity, warmth, and a calm, grounded presence. I'm passionate about walking alongside clients as they strengthen their mental health, build resilience, pursue personal growth, and develop a lifelong learning mindset. My goal is to create a space where you feel comfortable and safe exploring past trauma or current challenges, gaining insight, and building a deeper understanding of yourself and your relationships.Outside of work, I enjoy reading, cycling, hiking, traveling, and connecting with my husband and girls.

How I Work

My approach is relational, attachment-based, and trauma-informed. In practice, that means three things you can count on.First, patterns come from somewhere—so I'll ask about your family. What was said and what wasn't, who managed whose feelings, what you had to become to be okay. I'm not trying to explain everything through childhood, but how you cope now was learned somewhere—and knowing where tends to change what we can do about it.Second, our relationship is part of the treatment, not a warm-up to it. Much of what people bring me is relational at its core: not being able to be seen, to need, or to stop performing. These rarely resolve through insight alone. They shift inside a relationship that stays steady while you test, over time, whether it really will.Third, I'll tell you what I think—warmth and vagueness aren't the same thing. When I notice something, I'll name it. When something practical would help—language for a boundary, a way to interrupt a spiral, something to hold onto at 3 a.m.—we'll build it together. And I'll be straight with you about what I don't know and whether I'm the right fit.Developing new skills to interrupt old patterns and build new ways of thinking, regulating emotions, and interacting with people.I'm also comfortable with what other rooms treat as too complicated: gender and sexual identity exploration, grief nobody gave you permission to feel, intrusive thoughts you haven't said out loud, and the anger that often sits just under the guilt.

Credentials and Training

  • Licensure: Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) in Washington State, license number MHCA.MC.70091228. I am currently working under a licensed mental health counselor supervisor and working towards getting a full license.

  • Education: Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Concordia University Irvine, California.

  • Clinical approach: Person-centered, attachment-based, and trauma-informed, with formal training in Emotionally Focused Individual and Couples Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

  • Languages: English and Mandarin, both fluent and used in session.

Therapy Services

Trauma Therapy

A lot of the people who find me are trauma survivors. From the outside, they look composed — maybe a little watchful, always scanning the room, but functional. Inside, they're running on a nervous system that never got the all-clear: intrusive memories they don't mention, a startle they laugh off, sleep that doesn't restore them, and a flatness where feeling used to be. They've been carrying all of it for so long that they wonder what else to try to reach the peaceful, relaxed state they long for — rebuilding a sense of safety and control, and restoring meaningful engagement with life.
With over six years of experience providing trauma-informed care to survivors of human trafficking at a non-profit organization, I bring deep empathy and clinical insight to my sessions.

Emotional Distress Therapy: Anxiety & Depression

Maybe you are suffering from long-term anxiety or depression, or short-term stress due to a life transition and adjustment seems overwhelming..
Maybe your distress comes from your ADHD patterns..

Couples Therapy

I work with couples in dealing with communication issues, life transitions, and parenting challenges.
My personal experience in a cross-cultural marriage and raising two daughters in Shanghai has also shaped my understanding of multicultural relationships and parenting challenges. I thoughtfully incorporate these perspectives into my counseling work.

Pricing

My fees are straightforward:
RMB 800 (USD 120) for individual 50-minute sessions
RMB 900 (USD 135) for couples 75-minute sessionsPayment methods: Alipay, WeChat Pay, or bank transfer. Payment is due at the time of service.This rate directly funds a limited number of reduced-fee spots I hold for lower-income clients who still need support but can't manage the full session rate. When you pay the standard fee, you're helping keep that door open for someone else.
If you have questions about fees, scheduling, or whether therapy with me is a good fit, I welcome you to reach out so we can find a time that works for you and discuss next steps.

Do you offer reduced rate therapy?

Yes, I offer reduced-rate therapy to a limited number of lower-income clients who need support but can't manage the full session rate. Availability is currently limited, but spots open up periodically. Please inquire if you'd like to be considered.

Do you take insurance?

I don't work directly with insurance companies.
Staying out-of-network lets me offer more flexible and individualized therapy, with no diagnosis or coverage criteria required, no referrals or prior authorizations needed, and no session caps or insurance-driven limits. It also keeps your personal history and session content more private, since in-network providers must share clinical information with insurers for billing. This structure also allows me to spend my time fully focused on client care rather than extensive insurance paperwork.

Book a session

I am currently accepting new clients. Please feel free to book a free consultation to find out if we are a good fit to work together.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are sessions virtual or in person?

We can meet in person or virtually.
In person: If you live in Shanghai, we can meet in Pudong or Puxi.
Online: If you live in Washington State or in China, we can also meet through a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform.

Whom do you work with?

I work with adult individuals and couples with

  • PTSD, complex trauma

  • Emotional distress: Anxiety, depression

  • Adult ADHD

  • Adjustment, life transitions

  • Parenting challenges

  • Relationship challenges

What is the first session like?

A first session runs fifty minutes, and you don't need to arrive with a coherent account of your life. Most people start somewhere in the middle of the story, and we work outward together from there.
I'll ask what brought you in now, because the now tends to matter more than people expect. We'll talk about what you'd want to be different. Toward the end, I'll share what I'm noticing and what I think the work would involve, so you leave with a real sense of whether you want to come back. If I'm not the right fit, I'll say so and point you toward someone who is.

What happens when I am ready to stop therapy?

Ideally, let me know a few sessions before you'd like to stop. Ending on purpose gives us time to look back at what changed and to say goodbye properly, which many people have rarely had the chance to do.
Some people taper to every other week first; others come back for a few sessions a year or two later, when life shifts. Both are perfectly normal.

How long does therapy take?

To be honest, it depends on what you're bringing and what we're working toward. A specific, contained issue such as sleep, panic, or a single relationship decision often shifts within three to four months. Older, more structural patterns usually take a year or more, though most people start feeling meaningfully better well before the work is finished. Rather than put a number on a website, I'd rather give you a real estimate after a few sessions. We'll check in regularly on whether the work is helping and adjust the pace and frequency to fit your life.
Weekly sessions are the default, because continuity drives progress. Every other week can work for maintenance, but it slows active work.
Ultimately, we figure this out together, and you're always in charge of how long you stay.

What should I ask you on a consult call?

Ask whatever would tell you whether you could be honest with me. Some people ask how I'd approach their particular problem; others ask what I'd do if they disagreed with me. You might also ask about my approach and training, my fees, how often we'd meet, my cancellation policy, or whether I'm licensed where you are. And ask the thing you're slightly embarrassed to ask, too. How I respond is useful information for you.
The consult is a free 30-minute session, and you can schedule it here.

What don't you do?

Being clear about this saves everyone time.
I don't prescribe medication, since I'm not a prescriber. If medication seems worth considering, I'll say so and coordinate with your primary care provider or a psychiatric prescriber, and plenty of my clients do both.
I don't do court-ordered evaluations, custody assessments, disability paperwork, or any forensic work. That's a different job, with a different relationship to the client, and doing it well is incompatible with doing therapy well.
I don't take on active substance dependence as a primary focus, or eating disorders that require medical monitoring. Both deserve specialized care, and I'd rather refer you toward it than half-treat it.
And I don't offer 24-hour crisis coverage. If you need someone at 2 am, you can call a local lifeline or visit the emergency room. And if it's relevant to you, we'll talk about a safety plan early on.
Below is the lifeline and emergency room contacts:

  • Lifeline China (English only): 4008211215 (phone call), www.lifelinechina.org (texting), from 10 AM to 10 PM

  • Hopeline 希望24热线 (中文): 4001619995

  • Chinese Govt Mental Health Assistance (English & 中文): 12356 (phone call), 24-hour service

  • If you are in China, call 120 for emergency care and first aid.

  • US crisis hotlines can be found here: https://www.apa.org/topics/crisis-hotlines

  • If you are in the United States, call 988 for emergency care and first aid.

Connect

If you're considering starting therapy or have questions about fees, scheduling, or whether therapy with me is a good fit, I welcome you to reach out. We can set up a free 30-minute consultation to discuss next steps via Zoom video call.

You can also complete the form below or email me directly at [email protected].

Another quick way to connect is through WeChat; scan the QR code below (扫描二维码，加微信联系).