Hello! My name is Hsin-Ping Huang.

I graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and am currently practicing as a therapist in Washington State.

I am a highly sensitive person (HSP). Since childhood, I have been deeply affected by emotions and by the energy of my surroundings. My parents and caregivers were not highly sensitive themselves, so caring for me often felt exhausting for them. I cried easily and struggled to adapt to new environments. Because they didn’t understand my sensitivity, I grew up under a strict, sometimes punitive parenting style.

When my parents divorced, the conflict and instability at home deeply affected both me and my younger brother. I remember crying myself to sleep almost every night, feeling unsafe, anxious, and confused—constantly asking my mother why she had brought me into this world. We were both afraid of the dark and would only sleep with the lights on, as if that soft glow could hold back the chaos surrounding us.

By the age of eight, I often found myself contemplating questions far beyond my age—What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? What makes life worth living? In Taiwan at that time, mental health and counseling were not well understood, so no one recognized that I was struggling with depression. I still remember taking a depression screening test in middle school and receiving a high score, yet my teacher simply told me to “get some rest.” Few people truly understood what mental health meant, and emotional pain often went unseen.

As I grew older, I realized I was more prone than others to anxiety and depression. Small events could leave me sleepless, tense, and overwhelmed—sometimes with headaches or even nausea. I was physically fragile and often ill, and through these struggles I began to understand how deeply the mind and body are intertwined, and how emotional wounds can quietly manifest as physical pain.

Over time, I began searching for ways to heal myself—reading about psychology, philosophy, and spirituality; practicing meditation, yoga, and mindfulness; and learning hypnotherapy. Eventually, I pursued a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, where I studied emotional regulation, trauma, and self-compassion. Through 17 years of self-work and study, my mental and physical health improved immensely. Becoming a therapist allowed me to use what I had learned to support others with similar struggles, and this work has brought deep meaning and purpose to my life.

This space I’ve built is dedicated to people like me—highly sensitive individuals and parents who may not know how to support their sensitive children. My specialties include self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and trauma. My therapeutic approach integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), art therapy, and family therapy.

Because I grew up as a highly sensitive child whose parents didn’t know how to support that sensitivity, I understand how painful that experience can be. My parents focused heavily on academic achievement, sending me to schools where grades were everything—while creativity and individuality were rarely valued. Highly sensitive children often think and learn in unique ways that don’t fit traditional systems. This experience inspired my passion for education. In addition to counseling, I earned a Master’s degree in Education, where I explored learning theories and educational philosophies to design approaches better suited for sensitive and creative learners. These methods helped me thrive academically, gain admission to graduate school in the U.S., and discover my strengths and passions. I also taught in a Jewish Montessori school and trained at a children’s hospital in the U.S., focusing on child counseling.

Beyond the U.S. and Taiwan, I have also worked in Cambodia, Uganda, and India. In India, I led a counseling program for female factory workers at Foxconn, using art therapy to help women rebuild confidence and manage anxiety. These cross-cultural experiences have deepened my belief that healing and growth must be understood within each person’s cultural and social context.