Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m Jessica, a coach, workshop facilitator, and writer.
The many hats I wear reflect the winding path I’ve taken as I have honored, time and again, the quiet inner voice that asks for change.
There was the China phase: a BA in Chinese Literature at UC Berkeley, followed by a Fulbright Fellowship in China to study Tibetan-influenced Chinese popular music. There was the public health professional phase, which included a Masters from the Harvard School of Public Health, five years working in and with community health centers, plus three years of health coaching and youth development.
There is the freelance writing phase, which is still ongoing, where I write grants and edit academic articles for non-profits, university departments and scholars, and clinics who seek to address health inequities … all while holding space for a creative writing practice that nourishes me. Now I’ve added in coaching and workshops to help others navigate these same questions: Who am I becoming? What brings sweetness to my life? How do I craft a life and career that reflect these?
Through it all, former experiences have become seeds for new adventures. For example, the workshops I offer grew out of my 23-plus years’ experience facilitating groups and workshops, which started when I worked as a Community Health Worker in my college dorm, then grew into volunteer opportunities to facilitate creative writing workshops with Write Around Portland, then expanded to include tarot, oracle, creativity, and playfulness. I have used tarot cards and oracle decks for self-reflection since 2012 and worked with the body as a source of wisdom since 2015, and it delights me to fold so many parts of my life into the work I do today.
All our past experiences can become compost for our future lives. How might your past hold seeds for what your life will become?
After stints in Boston and Beijing and the Bay Area, I currently call Portland, OR home. When not at my desk, I enjoy spending time with my children and spouse, multilingual puns, cycling, various forms of dance (ballet, at present), water coloring, and seeking out life’s delights both large and small.
Jessica Yen 