- Strengths based
- Goal focused
- English and Mandarin
About Lillian
Lillian Tsai is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and codependency. She works in English and Mandarin and brings two decades of clinical experience to her sessions. Her style is collaborative and direct, focused on what a person wants to change now.
She centers sessions on the person in front of her, building on strengths clients already have. She uses practical techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to challenge unhelpful thoughts and from Solution-Focused Therapy to set short-term goals. Emotionally-Focused Therapy ideas guide work on relationships and attachment concerns.
Her background includes work in child welfare, victim services, and hospitals. That variety shaped her ability to respond to trauma, domestic violence, caregiver stress, and end-of-life concerns. She has worked with people facing cancer, postpartum depression, and long-term isolation or loneliness.
In a typical session, she listens first, then helps identify one or two concrete steps to try before the next meeting. Sessions often include skill practice for coping, ways to manage shame or guilt, and planning for life transitions. The focus is on steady progress rather than dramatic overnight change.
Clients can expect straightforward feedback and a calm presence during hard conversations. Lillian emphasizes shared decision-making so people feel part of the plan and can track small gains over time.
How her approaches work in online care
Client-Centered Therapy means sessions focus on the person's priorities and pace, with the therapist reflecting concerns and helping people set the direction. This approach is useful for sorting values, coping with life changes, and deciding next steps.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) involves identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical experiments or homework. CBT can help with anxiety, low mood, and stress by offering concrete tools to change patterns of thinking and behavior.
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) looks at attachment and emotional patterns in relationships, helping people express needs and respond differently to strong feelings. It is often used for relationship strains and for people who want clearer emotional connection.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try methods that match those goals, and adjust plans together if something is not working. The emphasis is on shared decision-making rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.
Confirm the specific session options before booking because formats are not listed in the profile. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life - for example by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins during a work break, or offering options that do not require video. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework for remote meetings so progress can continue between sessions.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
New York
Languages
English, Mandarin
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?
Lillian works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, relationship and family concerns, self-esteem, career strain, compassion fatigue, and related issues such as codependency and caregiver stress.
What is the therapist's general approach in sessions?
She uses a client-centered stance and combines practical tools from CBT and solution-focused methods with emotionally-focused work on relationships. Sessions emphasize strength building and setting small goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 20 years of professional experience across settings such as child welfare, victim services, and hospitals, which informs work with trauma, domestic violence, and medical-related stress.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds an LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - and practices from New York.
Which languages are supported during sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Mandarin, and she is also able to work with international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed in the profile description.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started if I want to work with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.