I’m Dr. Huong Diep, a psychologist, consultant, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPVC), and someone who’s always been insatiably curious about people—their stories, their pain, and what helps them heal.

Clients often tell me, “That’s a great question—I’ve never thought about it like that.”

I love those moments. Not because I have the answers, but because I believe the best therapy comes from asking the right questions—especially the ones no one’s asked you yet.

How I Work

I don’t view emotional distress as “what’s wrong with you.”
I see it as a signal—a response to something you’ve been navigating or carrying for too long on your own.

I work from a strengths-based, values-oriented lens. I don’t pathologize. I don’t see you as broken. I believe we all have the inner wisdom and tools to move toward the lives we want, even if we don’t always know how to access them.

Therapy with me blends evidence-based methods (CBT, EMDR, CPT, IFS) with mindfulness, acceptance work, cultural humility, and a whole lot of curiosity. It’s tailored to your story, not just your symptoms.

Where I Come From

My story begins with my parents—Vietnamese refugees who fled by boat in 1980. As a child of immigrants, I carried the unspoken weight of “stability equals success,” especially in medicine. But I quickly realized I wasn’t meant to work in hospitals (mostly because: blood).

So I took a different path. First nutrition, then public health, then community development. I eventually landed where I always belonged: at the intersection of psychology, identity, and healing.

Along the way, I served in the Peace Corps in the rural mountains of Peru, earned degrees from UCLA and the University of Denver (International Disaster Psychology), and completed pre/post-docs at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. I’ve now lived, worked, and traveled in over 50 countries.

Who I Work With

I specialize in working with:

• Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), empaths, and deep thinkers

• Neurodivergent individuals (ADHD, ASD, masking, burnout)

• Professionals navigating grief, loss, or identity shifts

• Therapists, doctors, helpers, and healers who need a place to not hold it together

• Clients processing trauma, whether personal, cultural, or intergenerational

• People exploring gender, cultural, or third-culture identity

• Federal employees, EFMs, and globally mobile clients

I particularly love helping clients explore boundaries—not as barriers, but as bridges. Boundaries that come from self-respect, not guilt. Boundaries that allow for connection, not isolation.

A Few Things You Might Want to Know

• I’m a board-certified psychologist, licensed in CA, NV, NY, SD, and Washington DC

• I’ve been on my own therapy journey since 2005—I practice what I preach

• I’m Buddhist-raised, mindfulness-informed, and ACT-aligned (what we resist, persists)

• I love hot yoga, reading, traveling, and deep conversations

• I don’t use social media—and I still manage to stay pretty current on memes

• I’m an INFJ, Enneagram 2w3, and yes—an HSP/HSS myself

The best compliment I’ve received from a teen client?

“You’re kinda cool… you don’t talk like a doctor.”

I’ll take it.

Last thing…

I live by this Toni Morrison quote:

“When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”

That’s what I try to do every day.

If you're ready to explore, unpack, or simply breathe a little deeper—I’m here.

Please see my LinkedIn if you want to learn more about my research, publications, and professional CV. Basically, I have been in school and training for a long time! But, most importantly, I can translate the world of psychology into every day language that is understandable to my clients.