I am originally from Japan. I am an immigrant and a first generation college student in my family. My decision to become a psychotherapist was deeply rooted in my volunteer experience at the Osaka YMCA.
I grew up with a very dysfunctional family, and often felt insecure at home. I experienced depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, self hate, and negative body image as a teenager. I often felt “no one would understand my pain and my family situations”. As I entered College, I started volunteering at Osaka YMCA to help students year around. Fortunately, YMCA provided me a safe place to process my challenging feelings, increase coping skills and heal myself in a very joyful environment. I noticed that I am very good at finding and reinforcing strengths in others while helping students, and countless benefits of utilizing strengths-based approaches.
I am very grateful for my mentors who supported my personal growth, and I am dedicated to supporting my clients in pursuit for a joyful life they deserve to have.
I am practicing Japanese influenced mindfulness activities daily, and I integrate self care and mind-body connection into my practice. Supporting my clients to build habits is an important piece of my practice so I can support them to reach their personal goals and sustainable success in therapy. I truly enjoy supporting my clients to heal themselves to eliminate barriers to become who they desire to be and reach your personal goals. I treat my clients with the utmost respect and dignity. Fluent in both Japanese and English, I offer a unique and inclusive space for clients from different linguistic backgrounds. My therapeutic focus is on clients addressing Anxiety, Depression, Grief, and Stress related to Life Transitions, and extends to Childhood Trauma, Low Self Esteem, and Negative Body Image, and I am very experienced in supporting
Hobbies:
In my spare time, I enjoy walking, camping, sewing (new hobbies started during the pandemic), gardening, Japanese Ikebana flower arrangement, arts and crafts, Taichi (trained in Taichi based exercises for kids and for adults with pains), traveling, and spending time with my husband and son in nature. I am inspired by minimalism and I enjoy having a simple life to enjoy. I am also a big fan of Japanese anime and manga comics, and I especially enjoy watching anime with my son.
私は日本で生まれ育ち、結婚を機に渡米しました。今の私がカウンセラーとなったことは、学生時代の大阪YMCAでのボランティア経験に深く関わっています。
私は成人するまで家族間の沢山の問題に悩まされ、うつ、不安感、自己嫌悪、自分責め、コンプレックスに悩み「私の家族の問題は誰も理解できない」と誰にも悩みを話す勇気もなく、表面的には明るく過ごしていました。そんな私の転機となったのは、大学入学と同時に始めた大阪YMCAでのボランティア活動でした。素晴らしいスタッフやボランティアの仲間に支えられ、初めて人に問題を打ち明けることができ「話すことは癒しである」と痛感しました。また、私が癒されることで私の家族の問題も改善されるという経験をしました。
私は日米でカウンセリングのトレーニングを積んでおり、アメリカのカウンセリング技法と、日本人の価値観を組み合わせたアプローチをしています。また、心身のつながりもとても大切にしています。
趣味
余暇には家族と、散歩やキャンプ、裁縫、ガーデニング、生花、手芸、太極拳（子供向けの太極拳ベースのエクササイズと痛みを抱える成人向けのエクササイズを訓練済み）、ダンス、旅行を楽しんでいます。私はミニマリズムに刺激をうけ、本当に好きな数少ない物に囲まれシンプルな生活を楽しんでいます。また日本のアニメやマンガが大好きで、息子と一緒に漫画を見てストレス発散をしています。