Guiding,
Educating, & Supporting You to
Your Next Level
Dr. Alexander "Brian" Yu (he/him) is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Sport Psychologist, and a Certified Mental Performance Consultant ® (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). He is listed in the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Sport Psychology and Mental Training Registry. Dr. Yu is dually-trained to optimize mental health and mental sports performance in sports, performing arts, work, or school.
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WHAT'S IT LIKE TO WORK WITH DR. YU?
Dr. Yu is thoughtful and compassionate for wherever his clients are in life. He provides both emotional support and practical tools and strategies to his clients. He is a proponent of learning through experience, and frequently uses metaphors and exercises to enhance the acquisition of psychological strategies. Dr. Yu teaches mental skills that are transferable for life, beyond sports and performances. He utilizes mindfulness- and evidence-based therapies, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
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Dr. Yu provides an environment of respect, collaboration, and non-judgment. He aims to create a space where clients are free to be themselves without fear of shame or criticism. He believes that understanding and appreciating the multicultural backgrounds of his clients are paramount in supporting them. He endeavors to recognize the diverse intersecting identities of his clients, while also continuously developing his own cultural humility.
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EXPERIENCE
Dr. Yu has several years of experience working with elite youth sports and student-athletes of NCAA Division I athletics at the University of California - Davis, California State University - Sacramento, University of North Texas, and most recently, at the University of Maryland - College Park. Dr. Yu has experience working with athletes from a variety of sports, including American football, basketball, swimming, water polo, soccer, track and field, volleyball, tennis, lacrosse, and more. On the clinical side, he has addressed a wide range of mental health symptoms and disorders, working at several multidisciplinary health centers at universities and hospitals.
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PERSONAL SPORT-PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
Dr. Yu spent about a decade of his life as a competitive swimmer, and later coached in the sport. After swimming, he regularly participated in recreational roller hockey, Crossfit, and mixed martial arts. He also has been a musical performer, having learned the piano, saxophone, guitar, ukulele, and singing. ​He frequently practices sport psychology principles and techniques to improve performance in his own personal sport, exercise, and occupational endeavors.
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EDUCATION
Student Health & Counseling Services – University of California Davis
APPIC-Accredited Postdoctoral Fellowship & Predoctoral Internship
University of North Texas
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, specialty in Sport-Performance Psychology
California State University, Fullerton
M.S. in Clinical Psychology
University of California, Irvine
B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior
OTHER AFFILIATIONS