DBSA Scientific Advisory Board
Clinical Psychologist
Bay Area, CA
Lauren Yang, PsyD (she/her), is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at Kaiser Permanente – Redwood City, CA. She is President of the Associate Board and past Vice Chair of the Young Adult Council for Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Drawing from her lived experience of bipolar II disorder since 2013, she has contributed blog articles, podcast episodes, panel discussions, and webinars for DBSA, International Bipolar Foundation, Live Well Bipolar, and BP Hope Magazine.
Moreover, Dr. Lauren currently serves as Co-Chair of the Education and Training Council in addition to being the 2022-2024 Postdoctoral Leadership Fellow and 2022-2024 Newsletter Co-Editor-in-Chief for the Asian American Psychological Association. Relatedly, she has been a guest speaker on podcasts People of Color in Psychology with Dr. Jack Tsan on navigating multicultural identities while living with bipolar disorder as an early career professional for the Multicultural Counseling Institute’s AAPI Heritage series, as well as Grad School Femtoring with Dra. Yvette Martinez-Vu on navigating higher education with bipolar disorder.
As such, her professional interests include bipolar and related affective disorders, life transition challenges, young adult concerns, Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) mental health, cultural identity development, and advocacy for marginalized communities. Dr. Lauren’s mission is to challenge stigma around mental health conditions, improve access to mental health support, and promote diverse representation and cultural responsiveness in mental health care provision.
She received her Doctor of Psychology and Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Yeshiva University and Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology with honors from UCLA. Born and raised in Orange County, CA, Dr. Lauren is a second generation Asian American with Korean and Filipina heritages, who is happily married to her husband of two years and life partner of 11 years. She is a plant mom of three, enjoys oolong milk teas, and likes to have a good time in the karaoke lounge with friends.
“Having lived with bipolar disorder for 12 years, I understand how incredibly isolating and frustrating the challenges of it can be. I have also learned that living with a mood disorder does not have to limit or define us. Since first joining the Young Adult Council in 2018, my dedication to DBSA has only grown stronger as I have witnessed the impact of our work in creating resources and sharing our own lived experiences. Being a founding member and President of the Associate Board, I am thrilled to continue supporting the mission of DBSA. Together with help, education, and support, we can instill hope in others with mood disorders that they can lead meaningful lives and even thrive in them.”
