About Me

My Approach & Style

I see therapy as an intentional partnership between the therapist and client that is based on trust.  In our initial sessions, I always do my best to meet you where you are but also gather as much information of your personal history in order to understand your needs and construct an agreed upon approach in creating positive change. I emphasize constructing a safe space for you to express your thoughts and feelings. I also view therapy as a combination of action and reflection whereby we may at times review learned skills and while at other times reflect on what you may have experienced or felt throughout the process.

I consider my therapeutic style to be strengths based, eclectic and solution focused. Strengths based style of therapy places emphasis on the individual’s self-determination and strengths. It is a philosophy of viewing clients as resourceful and resilient in the face of adversity.  In session I will frequently utilize and pull from a variety of therapeutic techniques that I may find particularly helpful for your specific needs and concerns. I draw mainly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Humanistic and Attachment therapy approaches. I believe that with increased insight into identifying problematic thought patterns and behaviors, one is better able to actualize change and create a more positive quality of life.

Background

I was born and raised in New York City, and my mother is Japanese while my father is Japanese American. It is through my own personal experience as having parents from different backgrounds that made me aware of stressors that immigrant families face. At a young age, I came to recognize that the world was not always a fair or safe place for everyone. I also realized that mental health was not prioritized in particularly Asian, immigrant, and/or communities of color which reinforced my determination to try to bridge this gap within our communities. Growing up in New York City in the late 1980s and 1990s, I felt compelled to assist in any way possible with the fight against the AIDS/HIV epidemic. My first volunteer position was at the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) in the Village. In both my educational and professional career, I have worked to build coalitions with underrepresented communities. I feel strongly that we all need to bond together to overcome adversity in our shared struggles. Prior to becoming a psychotherapist, I worked in a number of civil rights and social justice organizations in Washington, DC.

Areas of Expertise

Mood disorders (depression/ bipolar disorder)

Anxiety disorders and stress reduction
Creativity, artistic process, & identity formation

Self esteem and self actualization
Interpersonal & relationship concerns
Cross culturalism, ethnicity & diversity
Sexuality & gender, LGBTQ concerns
Immigration and generational issues within family units

Experience

20 years of clinical work as psychotherapist (in private practice, community mental health/DMH system, & higher education)

Clinical training received at Asian Pacific Counseling & Treatment Centers
Los Angeles, CA

Graduate Clinical internship at Center for Forensic Psychiatry
Ypsilanti, MI

Graduate Clinical internship at Whitman Walker Clinic HIV/AIDS clinic
Washington, DC

Training in music/art therapy, cross cultural therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, systems and attachment theory & mindfulness

Education

Masters in Social Work (MSW)
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Double Major in English & Women’s Studies (BA)
Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH

Areas of Expertise

Experience

Education

Mood disorders
depression/ bipolar disorder

Anxiety disorders and stress reduction

Creativity, artistic process, &
identity formation

Self esteem and self actualization

Interpersonal & relationship concerns

Cross culturalism, ethnicity & diversity

Sexuality & gender, LGBTQ concerns

Immigration and generational issues within family units

20 years of clinical work as psychotherapist (in private practice, community mental health/DMH system, & higher education)

Clinical training received at Asian Pacific Counseling & Treatment Centers
Los Angeles, CA

Graduate Clinical internship at Center for Forensic Psychiatry
Ypsilanti, MI

Graduate Clinical internship at Whitman Walker Clinic HIV/AIDS clinic
Washington, DC

Training in music/art therapy, cross cultural therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, systems and attachment theory & mindfulness

Masters in Social Work (MSW)
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Double Major in English & Women’s Studies (BA)
Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH