Masami Hutchins

I'm Masami Hutchins, LICSW. I earned my Master of Social Work from the University of Washington in 2017, and spent the years since working in hospice care — first as a bereavement coordinator, then as a medical hospice social worker — before moving into behavioral support work with older adults. That work shaped how I show up in therapy: steady, unhurried, and comfortable sitting with grief and hard transitions most people are told to move past quickly.

I work with adults across Washington State, via telehealth, in English and Japanese. My focus is grief and loss — including the ambiguous, hard-to-name kind that doesn't always get acknowledged — and the lasting effects of Complex PTSD and complex trauma.

My approach is trauma-informed, humanistic, and mindfulness-integrated. In session, I start by creating a calm, unhurried space and listening without rushing you. I'll ask what's worked for you in the past and what hasn't, so we build on what actually helps. I use reflective listening to help you hear your own words back and notice what you already know — and if writing feels easier than talking, we can work that way too. I'm flexible to meet you where you are, but I'll also be direct if something isn't moving you toward your goals. My goal isn't to hand you answers — it's to help you find your own way forward, gain confidence, and make your own decisions.

In our first session together, we'll start with what brought you in and what feels hardest right now. I'll ask a few background questions and use a short interview along with the PHQ-9 to get a clear baseline and check that what you need is a good fit for my practice. You are absolutely ok to refuse to answer if you don't feel to share. Please simply let me know "I don't feel comfortable to share my answer." We'll talk about what to expect from working with me — including where my scope ends, since I see adults located in Washington State through telehealth only — so there are no surprises. By the end of the session, we'll have clarity and goals to work with you.