YouNi Psychological Launches IPO: A Premium Shared Counseling Space Powered by 95%+ Master's-Level Psychologists

According to Baidu Baike, a psychological counselor is a professional who applies psychology and related knowledge, adheres to psychological principles, and uses psychological counseling techniques and methods to help clients resolve psychological issues. In 2002, the national unified vocational qualification examination was officially launched. However, this favorable situation did not last long; in September 2017, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security revoked the certification for psychological counselors. By then, approximately 1.1 million individuals had obtained this professional qualification over the preceding 15 years.

For a long period, Chinese society and culture failed to distinguish psychological counseling from “mental disorders” in the traditional sense, making psychological counseling a relatively unpopular and “cold” industry in China. In recent years, with the state’s increasing emphasis on mental health, the number of psychological counseling practitioners has been on the rise.

However, in reality, beyond the prevalence of unqualified counseling services, professional psychological counselors also face numerous challenges, such as a lack of dedicated professional workspaces and poorly designed therapeutic environments. Against this backdrop, in May 2019, Zhi Lujia, a psychology graduate from Beijing Normal University, founded Yiwo Culture (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “YouNi Psychology”), committed to serving both individuals and psychological counselors through professional expertise and appropriately designed facilities.

Currently, Youni Psychology boasts a team of over 40 professional counselors. More than 95% of them hold master’s degrees in psychology from renowned universities both in China and abroad. They have received systematic theoretical training, possess extensive practical experience, and adhere to high standards of ethical and excellent service awareness, thereby meeting the diverse needs of clients. Notably, Sandplay Therapy is a distinctive specialty of Youni Psychology.

Sandplay Therapy (also known as Sand Tray Therapy or Sandbox Therapy) is a clinical psychological approach that integrates analytical psychology theory with play therapy and other counseling theories. It enables individuals to express themselves and visually represent their inner world through created imagery and scenes, thereby bypassing resistance in the therapeutic process. Essentially, various psychological issues and disorders fall within the scope of this treatment method.

Sandplay therapy can be further subdivided into individual sandplay and group sandplay. Individual sandplay facilitates communication between the conscious and unconscious minds; helps express and release emotions; and stimulates self-healing capacities. Group sandplay promotes improvements in real-life interpersonal interactions; provides shared experiences with others; enables communication and coordination of diverse resources and perspectives; fosters a sense of psychological belonging; and enhances members’ sense of responsibility.

All sandplay therapy counselors at Zhilujia and Youni Psychology have studied under Professor Zhang Risheng, known as the “Pioneer of Sandplay Therapy in China.” Furthermore, Professor Zhang Risheng and Professor Liu Jun, a clinical supervisor from the Department of Psychology at Peking University, have been appointed to serve on the expert supervision team at Youni Psychology.

In terms of specific services, Youni Xinli has launched six core business areas:

Psychological Counseling:Provides individual and group psychological counseling services covering emotions, affect, personality, stress, interpersonal relationships, learning difficulties, parent-child dynamics, family relationships, and career planning.

Psychological Activities:Youxin Psychology is dedicated to popularizing mental health knowledge and enhancing individual psychological well-being. It offers a diverse range of activities, including salons, book clubs, psychology-based games, and film screenings with psychological themes.

Psychology Courses:Psychology Popularization Courses: Covering diverse topics such as parenting, marriage and relationships, career planning, and emotional management. Professional Psychology Courses: Youxinli invites distinguished professors and senior instructors to deliver specialized training for psychological counselors, supporting their professional development.

Shared Consultation Room:To better serve counselors, Youni Psychology has launched a shared counseling room service. The Youni Psychology Growth Center is located in Hepingli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, covering an area of 273 square meters. It features nine counseling rooms, including two individual counseling rooms, two family counseling rooms, three sandplay therapy rooms, one play therapy room, and one group counseling room accommodating 15–20 people. Additionally, there is a lecture hall with a capacity of 60–80 people.

All consultation rooms at the center have been designed with professional considerations in mind and meet industry standards, aiming to provide counselors and clients with more professional and comfortable hardware facilities for psychological counseling. Currently, all spaces at the center are available for external rental.

Sunshine Party Building:Youxinli Launches Distinctive Party-Building Services, Integrating Psychological Elements into Traditional Party-Building to Enhance Engagement and Interest in Learning.

Public Welfare Services:Youxin Psychology regularly organizes public welfare activities for special groups, including students in poverty, left-behind children, and individuals with disabilities.

Zhi Lujia stated that, thanks to the support from her alma mater, Beijing Normal University (BNU), Youni Psychology has established collaborations with both BNU and Beijing Jiaotong University. Currently, its core business segments focus on psychological counseling and psychology courses, while actively exploring the promotion of Sandplay Therapy.

Regarding the team, curriculum development is currently led personally by Zhijia Lu, with professional oversight provided by Professor Risheng Zhang of Beijing Normal University. The angel investor of Youni Psychology is responsible for financing and financial matters. In addition, Youni Psychology has appointed senior executives from Fortune 500 companies to oversee its marketing and operations.

Regarding future plans, Zhi Lujia stated that Youxin Psychology will launch consumer-facing courses in 2020, such as a series on Sandplay Therapy. Over the next three to five years, Youxin Psychology aims to refine its Sandplay Therapy framework and provide employee assistance program (EAP) counseling based on Sandplay Therapy. Additionally, the company hopes to expand its presence to more regions and serve a broader population.