I believe in reciprocity and mutual growth in all relationships including ours (client-therapist). My role is to support and empower you to find purpose in your life.

I grew up in Japan and was educated in Tokyo and San Francisco. I have a broad range of work experience in Japan and the US. I received a master’s degree in counseling with concentration on helping people with disabilities. I have provided mental health counseling for 10 years as a licensed therapist. I have worked for over 20 years as social worker/case manager/counselor in a variety of clinical settings. I have supported individuals of all ages, with or without disabilities.

My life's philosophy is social justice-driven and culturally responsive to promote the individuality of people of all backgrounds. My role is to be your partner to help you discover your inner resources, nurture and utilize them to move forward in your life. I look forward to working with you.

My therapy approach draws influences from Humanistic, Existential, Somatic Experiencing, Mindfulness-Based, Solution-Focused, and Cognitive-Behavioral therapies. I adopt a body-mind integrative approach to help clients make changes, based on their strengths, resources and preferences. In my therapy room, clients engage in personal reflection by challenging their negative thoughts, with the help of sensory-based exercises, relaxation, and other self-regulation techniques. My clients may also explore their past to gain insight into themselves to help them live more authentically in the present. I work together with clients to find what works best for them in order to achieve the most balanced well-being, while seeking practical solutions to the challenges they are facing.

My clients are validated for their courage by reaching out for help, the most important first step towards an authentic change. My clients feel heard and understood in an open and safe environment by sharing their feelings and thoughts without fear of judgment. My clients feel we are working together as partners. Sense of reciprocity and mutual growth prevail in my therapy room. They know from the gut and heart what to do and how to be themselves after sessions. My clients feel encouraged and empowered when they walk out of the therapy room. At home, work or school, the well-being of my clients continues to be on a steady and healthy path as they have incorporated what they learned in my therapy room into their daily lives.