Yuni U. Beyens, PhD
Psychotherapist and ICF Life coach
PhD in Psychology and Social Neuroscience
MS in Neurospychology and Cognitive Science
BA in Psychology
I Grew up in Belgium in an intercultural family (Belgian father and Taiwanese mother). When I was 10 years old, my parents’ tumultuous relationship ended, and in the middle of their bitter divorce, I knew I wanted to be a psychologist.
While studying my Bachelor of Psychology in Brussels, I became fascinated by the human brain and later pursued a Master’s degree in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Psychology. As the programme ended, I wanted to continue following my passion for research and reconnect with my Chinese roots; I packed up my life and moved to China to begin my PhD at Peking University.
Two significant milestones have shaped my life:
The first was healing a deeply challenging relationship with my mother. Our bond was marked by conflict and emotional strain as she battled her own childhood traumas and depression, and I grew up bearing the weight of it, torn between guilt and anger. We faced immense emotional challenges that included rushing her to the emergency room after her suicide attempts. Our shattered relationship had to slowly be rebuilt. Today, the difficult emotional work has paid off and our relationship is much healthier, grounded in mutual understanding and love.
Another major turning point in my life was leaving academia to pursue my true passion: psychotherapy. My years as a PhD student were incredibly enriching, and rewarding. I was doing important research and there was social prestige in doing scientific research. I grew and developed in ways I could not have imagined; yet at the same time, they were some of the most challenging years of my life. The competition was fierce and mentally exhausting leaving me in a constant state of insecurity. As time went on, I realized the rewards were not what I wanted, that path wasn’t for me—I was living my parents’ dream, not my own.
I struggled between security and passion. Ultimately, I chose to follow my heart and left academia. I moved to Dali to live a much more fulfilling life as an online therapist and life coach, helping people transform their lives by overcoming stress and anxiety.
Through my deeply enjoyable practice, I’ve discovered that my most successful clients all face a similar internal battle: trying to please others while staying true to themselves. Having faced this inner tug of war myself, this struggle touches my heart—one I am able to understand better than others. I now dedicate my work to helping others find their voice, heal relationships, and build lives that align with their identity.
