Iris Ping Huang

Biography

Background

I am a registered counsellor with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and a trained mindfulness teacher certified by the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation. I am also a trauma-informed life coach and a Buddhist practitioner.

I am interested in approaches to healing and transformation drawn from diverse cultural lineages, including psychology, neuroscience, meditation, Buddhism, shamanism, the arts, energetic healing, nature, and reflective writing.

I am currently pursuing PhD research on the topic of culturally responsive Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). I have a special interest in studying the lived experiences of MBCT practitioners from diverse cultures, particularly those whose voices are underrepresented in Western academic mainstreams. My other research interests include embodiment, as well as qualitative methods such as narrative inquiry  and arts-informed approaches.

Prior to transitioning to mental health studies in the UK, I worked as a user growth strategist at TikTok and a product manager at Xiaomi in Beijing. I also worked as a talent manager for an American a cappella group and a theatre programmer for a community theatre NGO in Hong Kong. 

Qualifications

PhD student in Counselling Studies | University of Edinburgh, UK

MSC in Counselling Studies | Bangor University, UK

Trained Mindfulness Teacher certificate |  Oxford Mindfulness Foundation (https://oxfordmindfulness.org/directory/ping-huang), UK

Registered Membership |  British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, UK

ARCH Trauma-informed life coach | Rising Moon Healing Center, US

MA in Cultural Management | Chinese University of Hong Kong, HK

BA in English | Sun Yat-Sen University, China

Research summary

I am a PhD student with knowledge of research paradigms, qualitative research design, scoping reviews, and an interdisciplinary approach to research at the intersection of mental health, arts, spirituality, and social science. I am interested in developing my qualitative research skills in narrative inquiry, as well as interview- and arts-based research, with a particular focus on mindfulness, spirituality, culture, and community.

Current research interests

I am currently researching culturally responsive Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) through two interconnected studies: 1. Cultural adaptation of MBCT: Interviews and focus groups with MBCT teachers exploring themes of teaching and adapting MBCT across diverse cultural settings. 2. Embodiment of mindfulness in everyday life: A small-scale video diary study investigating how MBCT teachers experience and embody mindfulness in their daily lives.

Current project grants

Student Experience Grant - Edinburgh Intercultural Mindfulness Festival, Conscious Creation (May 2026)

Past project grants

Development Trust Grant - Una Europa Summer School 2025 for doctoral researchers: Bridging disciplines for One Health solutions, Freie Universität Berlin (June 2025)

Participant

International Mindfulness Conference 2024, Bangor University

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