Jonathan Zielinski

Jonathan Zielinski is a bilingual (English / Mandarin) mental health counselor originally from the USA working for Body & Soul Medical Clinics in Shanghai. He was the first foreigner to ever complete the entirely mandarin-taught Master’s in Applied Psychology program at Fudan University along with the first foreigner to ever complete clinical internships at Shanghai University Psychological Counseling Center and Yangpu District Mental Health Ward. Jonathan is the only mental health professional in Shanghai offering Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP), a method of experiential psychotherapy originally invented to treat patients for whom no other method of therapy seemed effective.

Due to its clinically-proven effectiveness across a wide spectrum of mental disorders, rigorous training requirements and patient needs-driven customizability, Jonathan only practices ISTDP. Working within the ISTDP model, Jonathan’s approach is centered around facing difficult, often anxiety-laden and avoided emotional truths, creating a space where what are sometimes lifelong problems can be resolved at their root. Jonathan does not specialize in treating any particular mental illness, but truly has a welcoming heart for working with patients with borderline personality disorder and those patients who have done multiple therapies and yet nothing has seemed to help. He has extensive experience in treating anxiety, depression and sexual dysfunction. He has successfully treated cases of epilepsy, Tourette’s and stuttering.

Jonathan is one of the few openly gay mental health professionals in Shanghai and thus has extensive experience working with members of the LGBT community. As a western individual who has truly assimilated into areas of Chinese culture where no foreigner has gone before, he is also super passionate about helping those dealing with cultural difference-related issues and loves working with local Chinese people.