Your better life starts here.

Meet Dr. Timothy Yen

CEO of Pivot Counseling

- In-Person (Walnut Creek) & Telehealth -

Life can be overwhelming. There never seem to be enough hours in the day. Your brain feels scrambled as worries about expectations and tasks fill your mind and it is exhausting. You want to make the “right” decision, but you go back and forth on the answer because “what if that choice leads to regret?” In a society that evaluates your worth based on performance, sometimes you lose self-confidence and even wonder “What is the point in working so hard?” If you feel lost and discouraged, counseling is a great place to shift into clarity and change.

Since you and your circumstances are unique; your counseling experience should too. With our collaborative, emotionally supportive, and scientific evidence-based approach, we create answers that transform you. As much as we want the pain or stress to go away as soon as possible, these feelings are desperately trying to tell you crucial information. It is time we process them to understand. Before we find a solution to your problems, we need to start by knowing who you are.

Your identity matters: it informs your purpose and meaningful engagement. Everything that you have ever experienced has shaped your worldview. Context is everything. Everything from your childhood upbringing, cultural background, and spiritual beliefs matters. I will help you make sense of your challenges and co-create practical solutions for change. Be seen for who you truly are AND for who you desire to be. Let’s create a life worth living.

Specialties:

  • Anxiety-related issues

  • Depression

  • Trauma-related issues

  • Parenting

  • Military/Veteran-related challenges

  • Authentic Decision-Making

  • Spiritual Identity formation

  • Assertiveness/Confidence building

  • Teens/Family challenges

  • Diversity-informed issues (gender, race, spirituality)

  • Romantic relationship issues

  • Guidance for college-bound and career-driven individuals

  • EDD Short-Term/Long-Term Disability Evaluations

Issues:

  • Adjustment and Transition challenges

  • Anger mismanagement

  • Low self-worth/confidence

  • Stress management (e.g., self-care challenges, time mismanagement)

  • Burnout/Compassion Fatigue

  • Family conflict

  • Grief or loss

  • Perfectionism

Treatment Approaches:

  • Family Systems Therapy

  • Cognitive/Behavioral Therapy

  • Acceptance Commitment Therapy

  • Strengthen-Based/Positive Psychology

  • Psychodynamic therapy

  • Christian counseling

Professional Background

I am an Asian-American male and licensed psychologist (CA PSY 27745) who lives and works in the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area) since 2014. I completed my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Azusa Pacific University with an emphasis in Family Psychology and Consultation. I am also the CEO of Pivot (www.pivot-co.com) consulting firm and the author of the best-selling book “Choose Better: The Optimal Decision-Making Framework.” I am the founder of a group practice called Pivot Counseling which is partnered with the Eastside Christian Counseling Center in Dublin, CA. I worked at Kaiser Permanente for the past 6.5 years and supervised postdoctoral residents and psychological associates since 2016. Prior to college, I enlisted in the United States Army as a mental health specialist for over 8 years. Things that make me happy are supportive people, superheroes (Marvel & DC comics), nature, aquariums, and volleyball!

Certifications and Other Training:

Languages: English and conversational Mandarin Chinese