Xinyu Chang knew that she wanted to work in mental health support. She graduated from Boston University with a degree in psychology and then worked as a therapist assistant and mental health coach in China. When she decided to pursue graduate education to further her goal of becoming a culturally responsive therapist, she chose Penn GSE’s Professional Counseling program.
“I was especially excited by the Professional Counseling program’s emphasis on clinical training, supervision, social justice, and evidence-based practice,” said Chang. “As an international student and bilingual clinician-in-training, I also valued being in a learning environment that encouraged me to think deeply about culture, identity, access, and belonging in mental health care.”
During her time on campus, she undertook practicum and internship experiences at High Focus Treatment Center and Rosemont College Counseling Center, developing skills in individual counseling, group therapy, crisis response, suicide and safety assessment, treatment planning, clinical documentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. All of which prepared her for her next role: social worker at the Pediatric Anxiety Treatment Center at Hall-Mercer (PATCH), a Penn Psychiatry specialty clinic in Philadelphia for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, OCD-related concerns, panic attacks, and selective mutism.
Chang spoke with us about how her studies prepared her for her new job, the surprising influence of her work as Career Services graduate assistant on campus, and the impact she hopes to have a bilingual clinician.
How did your time at GSE prepare you for your new job?
My time at Penn GSE prepared me for this role through both rigorous coursework and hands-on clinical training. . . . At High Focus, I worked with adults in a partial-hospitalization setting and facilitated mental health, co-occurring disorders, and dialectical behavioral therapy-informed groups. At Rosemont, I provided individual counseling to college students and supported clients navigating academic stress, relationships, identity development, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. These experiences helped me become more confident in using cognitive behavioral therapy, DBT-informed, person-centered, and culturally responsive approaches.
My coursework at GSE also helped me strengthen my clinical foundation, especially in assessment, case conceptualization, multicultural counseling, trauma-informed care, and ethical decision-making. Together, these experiences prepared me to enter a role where I can continue growing as a clinician while supporting children, adolescents, and families through evidence-based care.
What kind of impact are you hoping to make in your new role, and how does that connect to your studies?
In my new role, I hope to support children, adolescents, and families in accessing care that feels evidence-based, culturally responsive, and affirming. I am especially excited to contribute to PATCH’s work with anxiety, OCD-related concerns, selective mutism, and family engagement.
As a Mandarin-English bilingual clinician, I also hope to help reduce barriers for Mandarin-speaking children and families who may be navigating mental health care in a new language or cultural context. This connects closely to what I studied at GSE, where I learned to view counseling not only as individual clinical work, but also as a way to promote access, belonging, and systemic support. My goal is to provide care that helps young people build confidence, strengthen coping skills, and feel more understood by the systems around them.
Looking back, what’s one thing you’re most proud of accomplishing during your time at Penn GSE?
One of the things I am most proud of is helping develop the first Penn GSE Office of Student Success Mentorship Program with my graduate assistant supervisor, Christa Hunter. This was my first time helping build a school-wide program from the ground up, and it gave me the opportunity to learn about program design, recruitment, matching, communication, engagement, and sustainability. Through this program, we recruited, matched, and onboarded around 80 mentor-mentee pairs. I learned so much about how intentional programming can create connection, belonging, and professional support for students. I am very grateful for Christa’s mentorship throughout this process and for the opportunity to contribute to a program that supported the GSE community in such a meaningful way.
What advice would you give to incoming or current GSE students who want to follow a similar path?
My advice would be to stay open to opportunities, even when you are not sure exactly how they fit into your path yet. When I applied for the Career Services graduate assistant role in the Office of Student Success, I was not completely sure how it would connect to my future as a mental health professional. However, through working with Christa and supporting students through career programming, mentorship, and individual career conversations, I discovered a strong interest in career counseling and student support. I am currently planning to develop a program focused on supporting international students who are seeking jobs in the education field in the U.S. The program will provide both individualized support and workshops to help students strengthen their job search strategies, navigate the U.S. employment process, and build confidence in pursuing opportunities in the education sector.
I would encourage students to follow their curiosity, build relationships with mentors, and say yes to experiences that help them grow. Sometimes the opportunities that feel outside of your original plan end up becoming an important part of your professional identity
Anything else?
One important part of my GSE experience has been learning how clinical work and student support can inform each other. Through my counseling training, internship experiences, and work in the Office of Student Success, I have become more interested in the intersection of mental health, identity development, belonging, and career development. I hope to continue integrating these areas in my future work, especially when supporting young people and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
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