Psychotherapy and Mental Health Counseling in New York | Asian & Asian American Therapists in New York

Ella Xiaoxu Hong, LMHC

Psychotherapist

We accept most major commercial insurance plans, including Aetna, Wellfleet, Cigna, United Healthcare, Oxford, Oscar Health, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Carelon Behavioral Health, for residents of New York.

she, her, hers

You may have worked with therapists who felt polished, goal-oriented, and always a little ahead of you. But I want you to know: I’m not like that. I’m the kind of therapist who’s chill, who loves slowing down in session, and who doesn’t always do things by the book. I want to offer you a space where you don’t have to rush, explain, or “do well” to be enough.

Of course, I use tools like CBT and DBT to help bring clarity, but what I’m best at is creating space where something shifts quietly, through our relationship. If there’s a day when you’re too tired to speak, I’m completely fine spending the session watching your favorite movie with you. I won’t push you to “get better” right away. We’re not in a race to become the best version of you.

I’ve worked with children, teens, and adults who carry deep trauma. I deeply understand what it means to grow up holding expectations before you even had words for them. Maybe you learned early on that you had to be excellent to be loved. You became good at shrinking your needs, twisting yourself into someone “acceptable.” But somewhere inside, there’s still that question: Am I ever enough? Is it my fault?

I’m not here to fix you. I’m here to walk beside you as you slowly unlearn that story, and begin to believe you’re already worth being seen, just as you are. Not becoming who you’re “supposed” to be can be its own kind of care. And it’s okay! We can learn to hold that imperfect, trying child together.

Working with me doesn’t mean filling out worksheets every session or making visible “progress” every week. It means you slowly begin to feel a little less anxious about the world’s expectations. It means you start to allow pauses, confusion, even stillness.

Progress might be showing up just a little earlier than last week. It might be saying, “I’m tired.” Noticed your own emotions and patterns. Or realizing: I can be me and still be accepted. The real shift is when you begin to believe that your existence is already enough—and that you carry power just by being here.

Expertise

Trauma & C-PTSD
Anxiety
Depression
Relationship Issues
Self-Esteem & Identity
Self-Harm
Substance Use
Eating Disorder
Emotional Disturbance
Family Conflict
Parenting
Cultural & Immigration Issues
Personality Disorders
ADHD
Bipolar Disorder
Schizophrenia
Anger Management
Life Transitions
Personal Growth
Women’s Issues
LGBTQ+
Career Counseling
Peer Relationships
Family Therapy
Child Therapy
Adolescent Therapy
Elder Therapy

Top Specialties

Trauma & C-PTSD

Self-Esteem & Self-Image

Anxiety

Relationship Issues

Depression

Specialty Approaches

Psychodynamic Therapy

Trauma-Informed Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Structured DBT)

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Art Therapy

Music Therapy

Play Therapy

Attachment-Based Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Solution-Focused Therapy

Person-Centered Therapy

I Work With

Individuals

Couples

Families

Education

New York University, Master's in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness

Licensure

LMHC, State of New York 018177

About Ella

Our Therapists

Book a free 15-minute phone consultation.

We’re excited to hear from you! To get started, our intake specialist will schedule a quick 15-minute phone consultation to verify your insurance and match you with the therapist who’s the best fit for your needs.

We’ll respond to all messages within 48 business hours.

If this is an emergency, please call 911 or reach out to a crisis counselor at 1-888-NYC-WELL. We’re here for you!

Or Contact Us Directly.

To verify your insurance coverage, please email us using the form below. For all other inquiries, we respond within 48 business hours.

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