Hang Ruan, MA, LICSW, NBCCH

I am a psychotherapist licensed to practice in the state of Washington (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker). In my 19 years of experience as a behavioral health provider, I have worked in diverse settings including inpatient psychiatry, mental health clinics, addiction treatment centers, emergency psychiatry, and chronic pain treatment clinics. I have a Masters in Social Work from the University of Chicago, and completed a post-graduate Fellowship with the VA National Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education (CESATE). I am also a National Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist.

As a certified meditation teacher with over 24 years of formal Zen training, I have extensive experience in providing mindfulness-based therapy to people struggling with a wide range of physical, emotional, social, and spiritual challenges. Utilizing an integrative approach, I bring my trainings in evidence-based strategies to bear in helping you learn the tools that you need to live the life that you want. Combining my mindfulness expertise with advanced training in other evidence-based approaches such as clinical hypnotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, pain reprocessing therapy, contingency management, and acceptance and commitment therapy, I take a holistic approach to seeing you as a whole person, as opposed to a set of symptoms.

Professional Training & Certifications

• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker: LW60318436
• University of Chicago: Masters in Social Work
• VA National Center of Excellence: Post-graduate Fellowship
• National Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
• International Kwan Um School of Zen: Senior Dharma Teacher
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
• Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Headaches
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares
• Narrative-Imagery Rehearsal Therapy
• Contingency Management
• Pain Reprocessing Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Prolonged Exposure
• Hartford Geriatric Leadership Fellowship
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Professional Accomplishments

I have published and lectured nationally and internationally on mindfulness, substance use disorders, mental illness, chronic pain, and process improvement, as well as developed/produced mindfulness meditation videos for official U.S. national health authority YouTube Channels. My expertise and contributions have been recognized through press coverage and awards.

Recognition & Awards

• The Seattle Times: Managing the mental health impacts of chronic pain (2025)
• Washington State Psychology Association (WSPA): Public Steward Award 2025
• Psychiatric Services: Editor’s Choice 2023
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Special Contribution Award 2021
• The Seattle Times: Prizes for sobriety: As Washington meth use rises, this treatment is one of few that works (2019)

Peer-reviewed Articles

• Mindfulness Practice Time and Quality in Veterans with Chronic Pain (2025)
• “You Just Have to Stick With the Practice”: A Long-Term Weekly Mindfulness Group at the VA (2023)
• Termination of a Long-Term Harm Reduction Psychotherapy Group for Veterans With Substance Use Disorders (2020)
• Routine Monitoring of Therapeutic Alliance to Predict Treatment Engagement in a Veterans Affairs Substance Use Disorders Clinic (2020)
• Implementation of Contingency Management at a Large VA Addiction Treatment Center (2017)

Mindfulness Videos

• Mindfulness for Anxiety
• Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain
• Making Space for Breath (Mindful Breathing)
• Grounding Exercise: Connecting with Our Senses
• Ten-Minute Guided Mindfulness Exercise
• Mindfulness Seminar for Cancer Survivors