Emily Kusunoki is a U.S. National Certified and HKPCA Certified Counsellor dedicated to helping individuals build safe spaces for healing and recovery. In her TEDx talk, The Healing Power of Being Heard , Emily explores how compassionate, non-judgmental listening heals emotional wounds. Grounded in the core principle that "emotions aren't defects, they're data," her talk emphasizes listening to understand rather than to "fix"—a theme that directly mirrors her clinical work with complex trauma.

Emily began her career in Washington, D.C., working with an NGO fighting human trafficking—an experience that ignited her commitment to vulnerable communities. After earning her master’s degree in Texas, she relocated to Hong Kong, where she co-directed a counseling center for five years. Today, she serves at the Hong Kong Dignity Institute, providing specialized therapeutic care to refugees, trafficking survivors, and individuals facing severe exploitation or discrimination.

Trained in EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Polyvagal Theory, and Narrative Exposure Therapy, Emily specializes in complex trauma recovery. Whether advocating for empathetic connection or guiding clients through psychological repair, she remains steadfast in helping individuals reclaim their agency, dignity, and innate capacity to heal.