Ruoxi Chen 【陈若汐】

Ph.D., LMFT, LPC

I’m Dr. Ruoxi Chen, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, and educator specializing in the emotional lives of Chinese and Asian American families. I hold licenses to practice in multiple U.S. states and maintain advanced training in trauma-informed care, child custody evaluation, and forensic mental health. My work blends clinical depth with cultural fluency — shaped by over 16 years of practice and a personal understanding of the complexities many Asian American families navigate.

In addition to my clinical work, I’m a tenured associate professor of counseling. I’ve published over 20 peer-reviewed academic articles and currently serve as an ad hoc reviewer for several premier academic journals in the fields of family studies, mental health, and psychology.

Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of Chinese and Asian American individuals, couples, and families — many of whom were navigating parenting stress, emotional labor, relationship conflict, or intergenerational dynamics. These experiences are what led me to begin developing self-paced, culturally grounded resources for those who may not need or want therapy, but still want something real to work with.

You can learn more about those offerings here.

Licensure & credentials

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
– Texas [LMFT #203227]
– Massachusetts [#1910-MH-MF]
– Louisiana [LMFT #1254]
– Florida [LMFT Out-of-State Telehealth Provider #204]

Licensed Professional Counselor
– Louisiana [LPC #6403]
– Georgia [LPC #012443]

Certifications & Training
– Certified Child Custody Evaluator [CCCE #000030]
– Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator [CFMHE #000142]
– EMDR-trained
– AAMFT Clinical Fellow & Approved Supervisor

Education｜教育背景

Virginia Tech｜维吉尼亚理工大学
2013, Ph.D., Marriage and Family Therapy｜博士（婚姻家庭咨询）

Northwestern University｜西北大学
2010, M.S., Marital and Family Therapy｜理学硕士（婚姻家庭咨询）

Fudan University｜复旦大学
2008, B.A., Chinese Literature｜文学学士（中国文学）

Fudan University｜复旦大学
2008, LL.B. (Second Degree)｜法学学士（第二学位）

Selected Publications｜学术期刊发表论文选摘

Chen, R. (2020). Social support as a protective factor moderating the effect of grief reactions on depression for bereaved single older adults. Death Studies.

Chen, R., Fussell, C.*, Austin, J. P., May, S. E.*, & Wang, Q. (2020). How therapists should work with infertile couples: A literature review. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy.

Chen, R., Austin, J. P., Sutton, J. P., Twiford, T., & Fussell, C. (2019). Burnout prevention and coping: What can marriage and family therapists in agency settings do? Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 30, 204-220

Chen, R. & Austin, J. P. (2019). Depression as a moderator and a mediator of marital quality’s effect on self-rated physical health. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 83, 50-54.

Chen, R., & Busby, D. (2019). Family of origin experiences on relationship satisfaction: A mediation model. Journal of Family Therapy, 41, 80-101.

Chen, R., Austin, J. P., Hughes, A. C., & May, S. E. (2019). The way in: Most effective ways to draw potential applicants to MFT master’s programs. Contemporary Family Therapy, 41, 47-55.

Chen, R., Austin, J. P., & Hughes, A. C. (2018). An eye on the future: Promoting MFT master’s programs to potential applicants. Contemporary Family Therapy, 40, 153-163.

Chen, R., Hughes, A. C., & Austin, J. P. (2017). The use of theory in family therapy research: Content analysis and update. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 43, 514-525.

Chen, R., Piercy, F. P., & Miller, J. K. (2017). A cross-cultural mate selection study of Chinese and American men and women. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, XLVIII, 243-260.

Chen, R., Piercy, F. P., Huang, W., Jaramillo-Sierra, A. L., Karimi, H., Chang, W., Palit, M., Martosudarmo, C., & Antonio, A. (2017). A cross-national study of therapists’ perceptions and experiences of dropout: A preliminary report. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 28, 269-284.

Chen, R., & Austin, J. P. (2017). The effect of external influences on mate selection necessity traits: Cross-cultural comparisons of Chinese and American men and women. Marriage & Family Review, 53, 246-261.

Chen, R., Piercy, F. P., Miller, J. K., & Austin, J. P. (2017). Chinese and American individuals’ mate selection pressures: Self-focused vs. mated focused. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, XLVIII, 97-112.

Chen, R., Austin, J. P., Miller, J. K., & Piercy, F. P. (2015). Chinese and American participants’ mate selection criteria: Updates, modifications, and extensions. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46, 101-118.

Chen, R. (2015). Weaving individualism into collectivism: Chinese adults’ evolving relationship and family values. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, XLVI, 167-179.

Chen, R. (2012). Narrative therapy for Chinese adults raised as an only child. Contemporary Family Therapy, 34, 104-111.