Coaching Testimonials

Angela Wu Asian Therapist empowerment coaching testimonial

  • “After a bad couple of months of staying up all night, getting work done because of perfectionism and fear and doing nothing else, I knew I needed help. I was perpetually tired and found myself in a cycle of burnout and knew I needed help. Working with Angela helped me to discover my mindset was in a place of fear, shame, and scarcity. All of my motivations was in a place of obligation and punitive in nature. I realized my habits were punitive and unforgiving. Whether it was work, exercise, or even things that were in the realm of "self-care" never felt re-energizing.I felt like every session was very productive and I always came away with understanding more about myself. The exercises that challenged me was to change my mindset about myself. I’ve confronted my irrational fears and insecurities by practicing a to be more self-affirming. I was able to re-define what success for me was and to start work on creating a nurturing and forgiving voice for myself.The most valuable change has been a shift and it is now become a slow snowball to my mindset. I am more self-affirming. I am more forgiving and energized. I've developed patience for suffering wherever I see it.

    I feel like I can finally see who I am.”

    —MY

  • I signed up for coaching because I was struggling with so much anxiety/stress/imposter syndrome at work. I loved working with Angela - she just gets it. She is insightful, and so empathetic but without being patronizing. She really helped me to uncover a lot of things. This was truly transformative for me.

    I’m now better able to trust myself and have my own back which in itself really helped with the anxiety/imposter syndrome. Even when I am stressed I’m better able to self soothe and self regulate while not shaming myself or feeling guilty.

    —AC

  • “I wanted to work with Angela because I was feeling unable to prioritize myself or my needs. I was feeling lost and overwhelmed, and a lot of guilt.

    In our coaching sessions, Angela created a very safe, comforting space where I felt accepted, no matter what. She allowed me to see many insights about myself, and see that a lot of what I was experiencing wasn't due to a fundamental flaw within myself but were mechanisms I had developed to protect myself within a system that I didn't understand. She really got to the roots of what was going on.

    I now feel that I could more naturally focus positively on the things I have overcome, instead of the obstacles and ways that I fail. I feel more resilient and that I understand my internalized thoughts more.

    I feel that her approach is very personal. I think she does a great job. Even when we were in very different time zones, she makes it work.”

    —KC

  • I had a great experience with coaching with Angela! She was so kind, understanding and had so many helpful insight into my situation. I always felt heard and listened to - and she made a comfortable environment for me to share and be vulnerable

    Coaching helped me be more comfortable and unapologetic about who I am! It helped me understand many barriers/obstacles and stressors. It gave me the tools to help me process my emotions, as well as expanded my understanding of how I viewed certain limitations, which allowed me to uncover the truths that align me more to myself. Also setting healthy boundaries!

    I embrace and love myself unconditionally. I practice compassion and kindness towards myself which makes me more empowered to be and live my authentic life.

    —VL

  • “I started coaching with Angela because I felt like I was not connecting to my authentic self. Whether in relationships, career, friendships, I had a difficult time speaking up for my needs and setting boundaries and I found myself trying to be what I thought what others wanted me to be. Angela has helped me heal from pain points that have blocked me. I feel like each session helped me understand myself more than years of therapy. Angela just has a way with breaking things down and making you think more deeply and intentionally about things.

    She is encouraging and her belief in me has helped me most especially in the times I did not believe in myself! I’ve learned so much from coaching and I’m so grateful to have met her!”

    —EC

  • “Angela helped me discover and embrace my inner panda (“Turning Red” reference)! I was super anxious and overwhelmed all the time because I had to live up to these unrealistic standards in my mind. Through our sessions, I was able to learn where that stemmed from which helped me start to see myself in a different light. I specifically wanted to work with Angela because of her background in working with Asian Americans. I feel like there were things she understood about me that I didn’t have to explain. The sessions with Angela were so powerful and I think I cried in each one (in a good way)! Though I’m still on a journey,

    I now feel more equipped to handle difficult situations, and also give myself permission to be unapologetically me!

    —AH

  • I signed up for 1:1 Empowerment Coaching with Angela because I felt plagued by so much self-doubt and lack of confidence. I felt disconnected from my authentic, higher self and needed a space where I can unpack my wounds, struggles, fears and anxieties that plagued.

    Coaching has been SUCH an amazing and transformative experience!!! Angela makes me feel so seen and heard. She is really great at listening to my problems and offering helpful advice and encouragement to make me feel more empowered in-tune my authentic self. Plus, I love all the actionable exercises that really help me visualize, gather and break down the core issues of my fears and problems.

    Honestly, everything has been helpful! I like all the exercises. I also really appreciate the notes that she takes and sends after the session - having something written that I can review allows me to absorb and remember what we've covered in the session. Also just shows her attentive listening skills.

    Having gone through coaching with Angela, I am now more self-aware. When I understand and recognize the root of my fears, I can always pivot the narrative and tap into a more loving and abundant place that serves my highest good. This past month, I feel like I have more tools to better understand and unpack the root of my fears. I've discovered that restraints created by societal pressures or my own negative thought patterns can be broken - and that relief and release comes from recognizing their shackles and breaking free. I've cultivated better self-awareness and how to nurture myself and my inner child in ways that bring me closer to my higher self.

    —VL

  • I sought coaching with Angela because I was struggling with procrastination, low self confidence, and needed practical tools.

    Working with Angela has been the mix of what I have been looking for - it is has therapeutic benefits, along with practical tools that help me in work and personal life. I value Angela's background, knowledge and experience as a therapist, coach, and shared Asian identity.

    I started working with Angela during a very tough period in my life, and I feel like it would have been so much tougher without the tools and coaching that she was able to give me. She really helped me get more in touch with my true, authentic self -- instead of the self that exists only to serve others, and try to be more at peace with the inner critic.

    I now become overwhelmed less easily. I am able to break tasks down more often. I like myself better.

    —LW

  • I started working with Angela to overcome my performance anxiety.

    Angela is very empathetic and compassionate. Additionally she's clearly an expert who can help to identify issues and nudge towards the best outcomes for the individual. She provides useful and practical tools to apply to daily/weekly practice. Embodied visualization practices help to uncover the wisdom and truth already held in your own body. Angela works with compassion and kindness, that leads to great self improvement outcomes.

    I’ve definitely gained more self-compassion and confidence in the last few months!

    —JH

  • [I sought coaching to work on] Imposter syndrome, lack of confidence to create boundaries and stand up for myself, lack of understanding of some of my reactions.

    In short, working with Angela was Amazing! I felt that Angela created a safe and trusting space for me to explore difficult topics. She was respectful and gave me room when I needed it during certain exercise. [I saw myself grow in] more confidence in building boundaries, being able to recognize certain feelings and thought patterns that were not productive and acknowledging where they came from and being able to move past them. Not being as hard on myself and dwelling on negativity.

    I would 1000% recommend Angela as a coach for others like me. I have really enjoyed working with Angela and have learned so much from her. I look forward to continuing to work with her.

    —GD

  • Working with Angela was awesome. She created a space where I could speak about my issues without judgement and allowed me to open up about situations from past and present. She was able to provide advice and guidance so we could work through them together. Through our work, I was able to discover parts of myself that I did not realize affected me so much. I was able to communicate emotions that I had bottled up. I was able to look at situations from different angles. I was able to grow more confident in expressing myself and not being so hard on myself.

    Overall, my experience working with Angela was amazing. Over just 3 months I was able to make a lot of progress in my issues of perfectionism and people pleasing, and was able to gain confidence in expressing my true emotions and feelings. I would recommend empowerment coaching to others- Angela is awesome. She was like a friend, sister, mentor and coach all in one. It was a great experience that I hope to continue. —LF

  • Working with Angela was life-changing! I learned so much about how my emotions affect the way I experience my life. Angela taught me what it really means to "process" emotions and I feel so much better equipped to respond to my own feelings. I also appreciated how I didn't have to explain what it was like to experience explicit racism as an East Asian woman.

    I became so much better at identifying my emotions! That feels like a huge win. Once I was able to recognize what I was feeling, I could also reflect on which past experiences (and past hurt) caused those emotions. It's like I learned what it truly means to heal emotionally 💛

    Empowerment coaching with Angela is the best gift I've ever given myself. I wholeheartedly recommend this program to other women of color who want professional support from someone who understands how cultural identities can affect your mental health.

    --DB

  • I reached out to Angela as I was struggling with severe burnout and constantly in a fire-fighting mode / task-oriented mindset. I've struggled to manage this for over 20 years and felt it was time to truly take the time to pause and understand the "why" behind the driving force. From my experience, I've seen similar behavior in children of immigrants and women who tend to overwork and wanted to work with a coach who deals with other clients with similar issues.

    I enjoyed my time working with Angela. She was patient with me throughout the process and took the time to get to know me instead of meeting specific milestones. Her perspective was eye-opening in multiple circumstances when my views were clouded by expectations in defining what was a must vs should. When I pushed back at a few points because certain activities were outside of my comfort zone, she was firm in her stance and encouraged me to keep an open mind to make changes beyond a surface level.

    I've been stronger in setting boundaries with others and verbalizing those boundaries with a more tactful approach. Angela helped me understand that I am not a bad person if I set boundaries for myself. I've been feeling more confident as to who I am and how the world may perceive me.

    My imposter syndrome made me concerned that one or two moments of "failures" does not mean I am a failure or lazy but that I am human. With Angela's coaching, I learn to quiet the loud, negative voices and focus on the low, quiet cheers.

    I would recommend Angela's coaching for those on similar boats and work on childhood issues that may have manifested themselves into people-pleasing behaviors or impeded our confidence levels. Angela's held me accountable for my own development and tracked my progress to show the changes I've made over the weeks. She helped me build solid steps to continue my growth and start leaning into what I want versus what's expected of me. Working with Angela has helped me look at the world with an additional lens and accept that I do not constantly need to keep chasing milestones and enjoy the journey.

    --MW

Take Up (Liminal) Space: Group Coaching Program

  • It was so much more than I imagined...

  • It was truly mind-blowing...Honestly, couldn't have asked for a better person to learn from. I honestly think this is the best thing I've done for myself!

  • I started to love myself again... I feel like I can finally breathe again.

  • Angela is a great teacher and facilitator, who listened intently to everyone and gave responses with empathy & attention to detail

  • I can now hold the tension of being part of both worlds with more confidence.

  • I feel more aware and in control/empowered.

  • I was able to unpack my feelings and experiences of being self-consciously insecure, afraid or ashamed about my Asian American identity.

    I was able to unpack my feelings and experiences of being self-consciously insecure, afraid or ashamed about my Asian American identity.

Trainings & Workshops

  • To whom it may concern,

    My name is Renaldo Wilson, the Program Director of the New Mexico Department of Health’s Smoking Cessation Program entitled NUPAC. This letter is in support of Angela Wu leading equity trainings and supporting staff development for those from healthcare organizations as well as those from local department of health. Angela was one of three trainers that worked with the New Mexico Department of Health for our annual Anti-Oppression Training. We asked much of our trainers and Angela stepped up beautifully.

    For our Anti-Oppression Training to be successful, we needed to ensure that everyone was on the same page in terms of knowledge of key words in this field. Once this was established, we then sought to create a space of psychological safety. Angela, being a licensed therapist, was able to assist with this piece, and later via surveys collected from our Epidemiology team, we discovered that our participants did largely feel that they were in a safe space. This was also evident when we placed them in breakout rooms, and they were all able to share their experiences, and how this training would help them all moving forward.

    Additionally, Angela spoke thoroughly on Asian American history, stigma and recent hate in their communities. We were able to hear from an authority on this topic that we should not be placing all people with an Asian background into one category and instead, ensure that moving forward that we work with each community in a culturally appropriate way. This was important as we here in New Mexico are attempting to rebuild bridges with all of our Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

    What stands out the most about Angela in her presentations, is her substantial knowledge about her chosen field, coupled with her passion that radiates seemingly without her even trying to do so. She is honest and upfront about her upbringing and philosophies, and this is a breath of fresh air in an environment that typically gives us similar versions of the same vague speeches and education. If you are thinking about hiring Angela in a similar role, I would suggest to follow through with it, and I also wanted to give you my information to reach out if needed below.

    Sincerely,

    Renaldo Wilson, MA, ACSM-CEP, CISSN

    Health Equity Educator & Adjunct Professor

    Renaldo Wilson, M.A. | LinkedIn

    www.infinitebalance.me

  • Hi Angela,

    I want to personally thank you for being part of the planning process for this year's Anti-Oppression training and being a presenter! It does mean a lot to me for you to present on the topics you have discovered and it has opened a lot of the people's eyes quite a bit, especially for those who have never encountered or worked with the Asian community. As you are aware, the Asian community here has a long fight ahead of us. I received a 'thank you' email from one of our attendees yesterday (and one of our program's contractors) who thanked us for the presentation but also happy to see not only 2 people of color leading the program, but also a woman of color. I almost broke down and cried. Not sure if you got my last private message on Wednesday after your presentation, but I also almost broke down and cried because of the sharing of the Asian American and Eastern culture to others who don't know about us. Many of the attendees to the training very rarely interacted or seen Asians before.

    Our anti-oppression trainings have always been one of the toughest conversations and trainings that the program has put together even in the past because it is the only time where many have to face the reality and check themselves on the issues. Over the years, we have seen people who walked out and/ or unwilling to recognize their unconscious or conscious bias. As a program, we have a lot of work to do to address oppression/racism/biases/equity. It is still apparent that there are biases.

    Please feel free to keep in touch with us and please let us know how we can help in the future!

    —Esther H Program Manager, New Mexico Department of Health

  • Angela was a fantastic facilitator! At first, I was a little nervous about having such a long workshop (I have ADHD, so sometimes have trouble focusing for long periods of time), but the style of the workshop made the whole thing fly by and I loved that it was interactive! The exercises were engaging and helped give us a space to think and reflect.

    One of the most impactful takeaways I gained from the workshop was realizing how much I'm motivated by a definition of success that I did not define for myself. A lot of these stem from not only my parents, but also my peers - especially growing up in communities where my peers frequently also inherited their parents' versions of success as well.

    The exercises and reflections were helpful in digesting the information given to us. I loved that they gave us a sandbox to reflect on our own core beliefs.

    I highly recommend this workshop to anyone who finds themselves overworked, saying "yes" out of guilt, and expecting unrealistic standards from themselves. It helps reframe your thinking into recognizing what core beliefs might drive you to versions of success that are not ultimately gratifying in the long run so that you can start to shape beliefs into versions that are.

    —Alyssa Chiang, Co-Founder Lotus Magazine

  • Angela is a thoughtful workshop facilitator who deeply cares about her clients and workshop attendees. Visuals were helpful, especially when it came to talking about core beliefs and synthesizing our situations and core beliefs.

    I loved how we were able to go over certain concepts in depth, and to unlearn them through Angela's explanation, discussion, and sharing of our experiences.

    My previous definition of success was about all the things i could accomplish and execute because what i felt like I needed to prove. Now it's more about taking pride in my work, and building sustainable businesses without feeling burnt out or exhausted.

    These workshops are great for people who go at full speed without taking time to stop and think about why they're doing what they are. Having a restricted, confined space to really feel and ask ourselves these thought provoking questions is more than helpful, it's essential.

    --Emily Fang, Co-founder Asian Wander Women