Community Highlights: Meet Hiroko Hsieh of Restingsheep Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hiroko Hsieh.

Hiroko, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a Marriage and Family Therapist and the owner of an online therapy practice called Restingsheep Counseling. My work has been shaped in many ways by my experiences growing up between cultures.
I was born in Tokyo, Japan, and spent part of my childhood in Germany before returning to Tokyo. As a teenager, I participated in an exchange program in Canada, where I lived for a year with a farming family on an island in Lake Huron in Northern Ontario. That experience, along with later travels during college, exposed me to a wide range of cultures and ways of life.
Growing up between cultures, I often felt like I didn’t fully belong in any one place, often carrying a quiet sense of being an outsider, both in Japan and elsewhere. At the same time, those experiences invited me into a deeper process of learning how to show up to myself in an authentic way. As I did that, and later as I came to embrace myself as God’s beloved child, I began to experience a different kind of grounding within myself.
From that place, I came to see that a sense of belonging is not only something we find externally, but something that can grow within us. As that internal sense of belonging strengthened, I found that I was able to experience belonging in different communities as well, even if it took time. That journey has deeply shaped how I understand connection, both personally and in my work with clients.
When I began to do my own soul searching in college, I realized I was drawn to walking alongside others in their personal journeys. That calling led me to move to the United States to pursue my master’s degree in clinical psychology. Over time, I came to see that just as cultures differ, so do family systems, each with their own values, patterns, and stories. Therapy, to me, is about approaching each person and each family with that same respect, curiosity, and a belief that when people can connect more honestly with themselves, it opens the door to more meaningful connection with others.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, my practice transitioned fully online. What initially felt like a big shift has become a meaningful part of how I work today, allowing me to serve clients across California and Florida with greater flexibility and accessibility.
Looking back, my path into this work feels like a natural integration of my life experiences, learning to navigate different worlds, learning to belong to myself, and ultimately helping others feel more understood and at home within themselves and their relationships.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I look back, I can clearly see God’s provision and guidance in where I am today, but it has not been a road without hardship, wrestling, and heartache.
Being a therapist is unique in that we use ourselves as an instrument in the work. Even though the focus is never on our personal stories, the work naturally brings up our own internal experiences and requires us to continually do our own work.
Coming to the U.S. and studying psychology in English was one of my earlier challenges. Learning in a second language while also stepping into a professional role where I was expected to have clarity and expertise brought up a lot of insecurity. At the same time, I was adjusting to a new culture, which added another layer to that experience.
Since then, each stage of my career has come with its own set of challenges. Through them, I think I’ve learned to relate differently to the discomfort, to turn toward it with more openness and curiosity, and to allow it to shape my growth.
On a personal level, there have also been meaningful challenges, such as navigating the grief of being far from my family of origin, becoming a mother, and adjusting to different seasons of life, including moving within the U.S. These experiences have stretched me in ways I didn’t expect.
At the same time, one of the gifts of this profession is that our own life experiences can deepen our work. The challenges I’ve faced have not only shaped me personally, but have also expanded my capacity to sit with others in their own struggles with greater empathy, humility, and understanding.

As you know, we’re big fans of Restingsheep Counseling . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I own a telehealth psychotherapy practice called Restingsheep Counseling, where I work with individuals and couples across California and Florida. My work is rooted in a trauma-informed approach, where we understand symptoms not as something “wrong,” but as meaningful adaptations to the environments people were shaped in. At the same time, I hold a broader lens that recognizes how factors such as neurodivergence, intergenerational trauma, personality, and temperament also play a role, and how these different aspects interact with one another in shaping a person’s experience.

Many of the clients come in to see me because of struggles in their relationships, whether in marriage, romantic relationships, friendships, or work, while others feel overwhelmed by anxiety, self-blame, or shame that can feel debilitating. They often know what they “should” be doing, yet feel stuck and carry shame that their willpower hasn’t been enough. In my work, we gently shift that perspective. It is usually not about a lack of willpower, but about what they have learned about the world, relationships, and themselves in order to survive. These patterns are often deeply intelligent responses that made sense at one point, even if they no longer serve them in the present.

Rather than forcing change, I help clients listen more deeply to their internal world, especially the implicit patterns that continue to shape their responses. A framework that often guides my work is what I call the STAIR approach, which emphasizes self-trust, integrated resilience, and brain-based healing. I support clients in building trust in their own inner knowing, reconnecting with the resilience that already exists within them, and engaging in a process of healing that aligns with how the brain actually works.

From that foundation, I often incorporate parts work, which helps clients relate to different aspects of themselves with compassion and curiosity, along with Brainspotting, a brain-body approach that supports deeper processing within the nervous system. Together, we work to update old learnings and integrate new experiences in a way that feels organic rather than forced. Over time, this helps clients develop a kinder and more supportive relationship with themselves, which often leads to meaningful changes in how they relate to the people around them.

The name “Restingsheep” comes from Psalm 23, a passage that has been personally meaningful to me. It reflects the image of being able to lay down our armor, to be cared for, and to experience restoration, not through striving or fixing, but through being. That heart is central to my practice. I aim to create a space where clients can come as they truly are, without fear of judgment, and where healing can unfold in a way that feels safe and grounded.

I am committed to ongoing learning and continue to pursue training and consultation with professionals I deeply respect so that I can keep growing in how I support my clients.

At the heart of my practice is a desire to help people feel more connected to themselves, to others, and to the life they want to live.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think something that has been important in my work is creating a space where people can feel a deep sense of safety.

Some of my clients share that therapy with me feels different from what they’ve experienced before. A lot of that comes from the experiential nature of the work. Rather than focusing only on talking about problems, we slow down and create space for people to actually encounter what is happening within them. In that process, many are surprised to discover a sense of strength and resilience that was already there.

Holding that kind of space requires a deep trust in the person and in their inner wisdom. It is also shaped by my own faith, along with ongoing training, consultation, and support from colleagues I deeply respect. All of these allow me to stay grounded and present with curiosity and compassion.

I feel very grateful that my practice has grown organically through word of mouth and referrals from trusted colleagues. It feels like a reflection of the relationships and community that have supported me along the way.

Pricing:

• Individual and Couples Work; $160 per 50min session, $240 per 80min session

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.restingsheep.com