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Meet the Founder
The Story of Essence
Essence was born from a simple belief: that some of life's most meaningful experiences cannot be fully expressed through words alone.
Throughout my career as a creative arts therapist, music psychotherapist, educator, and researcher, I have witnessed the remarkable ways people reconnect with themselves through music, movement, art, drama, and authentic human connection. Whether working with individuals recovering from neurological illness, navigating life transitions, or finding their place between cultures, I have seen that creativity often reaches places that conversation alone cannot.
As an immigrant, musician, clinician, and educator, I understand that identity is rarely simple. Many of us carry multiple languages, cultures, communities, and expectations within us. Those experiences can be deeply enriching, yet they can also leave us searching for belonging and connection.
I founded Essence Creative Arts Therapy to create more than a therapy practice. I envisioned a space where creative expression and psychotherapy come together to help people reconnect—with themselves, with others, and with what matters most. A place where individuals, families, communities, and organizations can experience creativity not simply as art, but as a pathway toward greater understanding, resilience, and authentic living.
Today, Essence continues to grow as a collaborative home for creative arts therapists who share this vision: making compassionate, evidence-informed, and culturally responsive care accessible to people from all walks of life.
Dr. Jingwen Zhang
Dr. Jingwen Zhang, PhD, LCAT, MT-BC is the Founder and Clinical Director of Essence Creative Arts Therapy. She is an Assistant Professor of Music Therapy at SUNY New Paltz and has extensive clinical experience in medical music therapy, neurological rehabilitation, and multicultural mental health. Her research focuses on creative arts therapy, aphasia rehabilitation, and culturally responsive care. She is passionate about mentoring future therapists and advancing the field through teaching, research, and community engagement.