Maloney Liu

Tuesday, Wednesday (online only), Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Many of us millennials grew up before people talked much about mental, emotional, and relational fitness (and in some cultures, it's still not talked about). We've had caregivers, teachers, and bosses with their own unhealed wounds, limiting their ability to support our development and model healthy life skills.

Add in societal norms that overvalue intellectual and economic achievements, various forms of systemic and culturally sanctioned oppression, lack of awareness of neurodiversity . . . Is it any wonder that many of us are left with a kind of psychological malnutrition, some wonky beliefs, and a lot of shame and guilt and mean voices in our head?

I'm Mel, an English-Chinese bilingual therapist and coach with a trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+/GSRD-affirming (including asexuality) and neuro-affirming practice. It's never too late for you to reap the benefits of a consistently safe, growth-fostering environment, address unmet psychological needs, and develop the core human skills we all need to thrive.

We can review and edit the stories you tell yourself and distinguish between values you inherited and values that are truly yours. We can work with the brain you’ve got, not against it. We can break generational cycles and survival strategies that have outlived their usefulness and build a better future.

Where would you like to start?

I specialise in complex, relational, and intergenerational trauma. You may have had an emotionally inhibited or chaotic upbringing. You may have been in volatile relationships where you walked on eggshells. You may recognise yourself in terms like adult children of emotionally immature parents and childhood emotional neglect. You may be suffering from chronic depression or anxiety, self-doubt, perfectionism, people-pleasing, difficulty identifying and regulating your emotions, intimacy issues, a sense of worth that's dependent on your productivity, etc.

Complex trauma is multi-faceted; healing will be too.

My approach is pluralistic, a collaborative, integrative perspective deeply rooted in humanistic and person-centred values. We'll discuss what you want from therapy, and together we'll decide how to get there, knowing that we've got many modalities to draw upon and that I'll meet you where you are.

Among the main modalities I integrate and/or am informed by are:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Bowen Family Systems Theory
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Motivational Interviewing
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Relational Life Therapy (RLT)
• Schema Therapy
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
• Trauma-Informed Stabilisation Treatment (TIST)

Trained in Hong Kong and the UK, in Cantonese (廣東話) and in English, I bring a multicultural, systemic perspective to my work, informed also by my multidisciplinary education, training in coaching and positive psychology, professional experience in the tech and creative industries, and lived experience of complex trauma and recovery.

Our work together can address trauma on cognitive, emotional, behavioural and somatic levels, while recognising cultural and structural factors at play as well. I also understand the overlap between trauma and neurodivergence.

My clients appreciate my sturdiness, empathic confrontation, and knack for relatable (and sometimes funny) analogies! Therapy can be more enjoyable than you may think.

Our first session, charged at the usual fee*, is a little different from ongoing therapy sessions, because it is more of an assessment where I gather information about your current lifestyle, health, life experiences, etc. You can choose to give as much or as little detail as you're comfortable with at this stage. We will discuss what you want to get out of therapy and the approaches we can consider. I will signpost you to other sources of support if it turns out that I am not best suited for your needs/preferences.

Prior to this assessment session, I will need you to fill in an intake form with your personal/contact details, GP details, etc. Depending on your preference and what you include in your message to me when you first reach out, we may also have a free, 15-minute consultation on Zoom first.

***

* A note on fees:

I am based in London, where the average gross median salary is £44,370 (ONS 2023). My standard fees range from £85 to £125 depending on your income and where and when we work. These fees enable me to maintain a high level of service with an optimal client load, engage in more relevant training and supervision than the minimum required, and offer low-cost sessions to those who may not otherwise be able to access therapy.

If my profile resonates with you but the cost is a barrier, let's discuss and see what we can work out.

Tuesday, Wednesday (online only), Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Many of us millennials grew up before people talked much about mental, emotional, and relational fitness (and in some cultures, it's still not talked about). We've had caregivers, teachers, and bosses with their own unhealed wounds, limiting their ability to support our development and model healthy life skills.

Add in societal norms that overvalue intellectual and economic achievements, various forms of systemic and culturally sanctioned oppression, lack of awareness of neurodiversity . . . Is it any wonder that many of us are left with a kind of psychological malnutrition, some wonky beliefs, and a lot of shame and guilt and mean voices in our head?

I'm Mel, an English-Chinese bilingual therapist and coach with a trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+/GSRD-affirming (including asexuality) and neuro-affirming practice. It's never too late for you to reap the benefits of a consistently safe, growth-fostering environment, address unmet psychological needs, and develop the core human skills we all need to thrive.

We can review and edit the stories you tell yourself and distinguish between values you inherited and values that are truly yours. We can work with the brain you’ve got, not against it. We can break generational cycles and survival strategies that have outlived their usefulness and build a better future.

Where would you like to start?

I specialise in complex, relational, and intergenerational trauma. You may have had an emotionally inhibited or chaotic upbringing. You may have been in volatile relationships where you walked on eggshells. You may recognise yourself in terms like adult children of emotionally immature parents and childhood emotional neglect. You may be suffering from chronic depression or anxiety, self-doubt, perfectionism, people-pleasing, difficulty identifying and regulating your emotions, intimacy issues, a sense of worth that's dependent on your productivity, etc.

Complex trauma is multi-faceted; healing will be too. 

My approach is pluralistic, a collaborative, integrative perspective deeply rooted in humanistic and person-centred values. We'll discuss what you want from therapy, and together we'll decide how to get there, knowing that we've got many modalities to draw upon and that I'll meet you where you are. 

Among the main modalities I integrate and/or am informed by are:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Bowen Family Systems Theory
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Motivational Interviewing
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Relational Life Therapy (RLT)
• Schema Therapy
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
• Trauma-Informed Stabilisation Treatment (TIST)

Trained in Hong Kong and the UK, in Cantonese (廣東話) and in English, I bring a multicultural, systemic perspective to my work, informed also by my multidisciplinary education, training in coaching and positive psychology, professional experience in the tech and creative industries, and lived experience of complex trauma and recovery.

Our work together can address trauma on cognitive, emotional, behavioural and somatic levels, while recognising cultural and structural factors at play as well. I also understand the overlap between trauma and neurodivergence.

My clients appreciate my sturdiness, empathic confrontation, and knack for relatable (and sometimes funny) analogies! Therapy can be more enjoyable than you may think.

Our first session, charged at the usual fee*, is a little different from ongoing therapy sessions, because it is more of an assessment where I gather information about your current lifestyle, health, life experiences, etc. You can choose to give as much or as little detail as you're comfortable with at this stage. We will discuss what you want to get out of therapy and the approaches we can consider. I will signpost you to other sources of support if it turns out that I am not best suited for your needs/preferences.

Prior to this assessment session, I will need you to fill in an intake form with your personal/contact details, GP details, etc. Depending on your preference and what you include in your message to me when you first reach out, we may also have a free, 15-minute consultation on Zoom first.

***

* A note on fees:

I am based in London, where the average gross median salary is £44,370 (ONS 2023). My standard fees range from £85 to £125 depending on your income and when and where we work. These fees enable me to maintain a high level of service with an optimal client load, engage in more relevant training and supervision than the minimum required, and offer low-cost sessions to those who may not otherwise be able to access therapy.

If my profile resonates with you but the cost is a barrier, let's discuss and see what we can work out.