Sienna Zhiwen Xu was born and raised in a small village in China, where she experienced firsthand the lack of mental health support in public schools. According to a recent national study of mental health, at least 30 million children and adolescents struggle with emotional or behavioral problems, even further exacerbated by the COVID-19 epidemic.
“Missing mental and emotional guidance makes students in public schools feel high pressure and lose life purpose. Without wellbeing education and guidance, they lose self-worth and hope, and squander their potential,” Xu said.
Speaking from personal experience in the Chinese public school system, she described her struggles with depression as the stepping stone into a passion for addressing education inequality and the mental health crisis affecting millions of children.
“My sense of purpose was shrouded deeply in darkness while pleasing people became my protection,” Xu said. “The way I was being educated planted the seed of being independent and finding the answers myself. Having depression and being able to overcome it allowed me to build strong connections and to develop empathy towards anyone I meet.”
Starting in 2013, Xu began building her background in education, working her way up from teaching assistant to instructional design intern to Mandarin teacher to Broadway Musical teacher, and eventually, to a Stanford-certified Life Design Coach.
Years of commitment to education combined with her passion for addressing student mental health concerns became the catalyst for her bold career change in 2021. “Within two years after I [quit] my job in 2021, I founded a life design academy and empowered more than 15,000 young people to design their lives,” Xu said. “I have seen young people suffer without purpose and passion. It’s not only for me, but for every family behind each student who is experiencing the same as me 10 years ago.”
The Flourish Life Design Academy offers an immersive mental health education to teenagers from underrepresented backgrounds in China, focusing on social-emotional coping skills and well-being. Using design thinking to solve problems and explore life possibilities, they provide systematic courses for schools, organizations, parents, and individuals.
Through the Y&Y Fellowship, Xu discovered the potential impact of her social enterprise. Over the next few years, her startup grew and flourished under the mentorship of Y&Y and their resources in business development plans. “I want to be that person who creates a positive change on the mental health support for all public school students in China,” Xu said. “Today, I am still on the road. But I am so clear about who I want to become and I truly believe any teenager can do the same with the right tools and resources.”
Xu continues to train students, teachers, and individuals in designing their life, shifting the focus from traditional career consultation to user-driven growth and self-realization. As a Master Trainer for UNESCO’s sustainable development research institute, she educated teachers around the globe in aligning their curricula with the UNESCO curriculum, a more comprehensive, supportive, and globally relevant educational framework.
As an academic advisor for the Harvard College Class of 2028, she continues to promote life guidance in both academia and mental health. Her advice for aspiring social entrepreneurs is to understand and fall in love with the problem you aim to solve, be authentic, and seek the support of mentors to gain knowledge and wisdom from experienced individuals.
Sienna Xu’s journey is rooted in personal hardship and transformation. “Love ourselves before we love others. Change ourselves first before we change the world,” she reflected. Her mission continues as she remains committed to improving mental health support for students all across the globe.
