Browse School of Medicine | Stanford Profiles

Yishan Xu, PhD, DBSM, CST

Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Sleep Medicine

BioDr. Xu is a licensed clinical psychologist in California, a Board-certified Behavioral Sleep Medicine Specialist, and AASECT Board-Certified Sex Therapist. She currently serves as the chair of the OPEC committee for the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. She completed training at the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center 2017-2019. She has specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, parasomnias, nightmares, and adjustment to PAP therapy for sleep apnea.

Dr. Xu grew up in China and received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Virginia, VA. She has adapted treatment for insomnia for the Chinese population, and translated the book “The Rested Child” into Chinese, which is the first evidence-based book about children and teen’s sleep disorders in China. She is the founder and director of a multicultural group practice in the SF Bay Area: Mind & Body Garden Psychology Inc. She also hosts a podcast "Deep into Sleep" to help bridge the gap between public awareness and knowledge of sleep problems and the science of sleep medicine.

Publications:
Xu, Y., Barwick, F. & Li, C.(2023). Cultural Considerations in Behavioral Sleep Medicine (BSM): Telehealth Group CBT-I for Patients from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Hospital (Submitted)
Prislin, R., Davenport, C., Xu, Y., Moreno, R., & Honeycutt, N. (2018). From marginal to mainstream and vice versa: Leaders' evaluation of diversity while in the minority versus majority. Journal of Social Issues, 74 (1), 112-128.
Attin, M., Xu, Y., Lin, C. D., & Lemus, H. (2015). A potential impact of nursing characteristics prior to in-hospital cardiac arrest: a self-reported study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 24 (23-24), 3736-3738.
Hu, Y., Xu, Y.,& Tornello, S. L. (2015). Stability of Self-Reported Same-Sex and Both-Sex Attraction from Adolescence to Young Adulthood. Archives of sexual behavior, 1- 9.
Xu, Y., & Ocker, B. (2013). Discrepancies in Cross-cultural and cross-generational attitudes toward committed relationships in China and the United States. Family Court Review, 51 (4), 591–604.
Tornello, S. L., Emery, R., Rowen, J., Potter, D., Ocker, B., & Xu, Y. (2013). Overnight custody arrangements, attachment, and adjustment among very young children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 75 (4), 871-885.
Horn, E. E., Xu, Y., Beam, C. R., Turkheimer, E. & Emery, E. (2012). The marriage benefit? A genetically-informed study of selection and causation. Journal of Family Psychology, 27 (1), 30-41.
Prislin, R., Boyle, S. M., Davenport, C., Farley, A., Jacobs, E., Michalak, J., Uehara, K., Zandian, F., & Xu. Y. (2011). On being influenced while trying to persuade: The feedback effect of persuasion outcomes on the persuader. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2 (1), 51-58.
Li, j., Xu, Y., & li, X. (2009). Correlation between atypical eating disorder and body- esteem of college students. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 17, 345-347.