I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LW61356222) in the state of Washington. I received my Master of Social Work (MSW) from Washington University in St. Louis in 2019. I have worked with teens and adults in various settings, including community mental health, non-profit agency, and group practice. I identify as Japanese-American, queer, and use she/they pronouns.

Before pursuing a career in mental health, I worked in Japan for about seven years in education, translation, and HR. During that time, I witnessed chronic overwork, gender inequality, the invisible poor, discrimination against minority groups, social reclusiveness, and lack of accessibility to mental health services. What I observed and experienced personally ultimately gave me the push I needed to go back to school. As a result, my therapeutic approach is very much rooted in multiculturalism, social justice, and trauma-informed care.

On my days off, I enjoy spending time with my wife and dogs, reading, and exploring new restaurants.

I specialize in working with clients who are struggling as a result of childhood/attachment/complex trauma. This is often what we descibe as “little T trauma”. Many of my clients first come in with acute symptoms such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, low motivation, relationship issues, dissociation, feeling emotionally numb, and self-sabotaging behaviors such as self-harm or addictions. Many of my clients have in the past or currently meet the criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Just as many at first come in for the first time and just know that what’s going on for them right now just isn’t working anymore, and they need help. I work with clients to increase understanding of how their symptoms make sense as a maladaptive coping mechanism through psycho education, build safety, stabilization, and trust, and help clients begin to unpack and integrate their past into their present.

I also selectively see clients to address phases of life/life transitions, multicultural/minority stress, adult ADHD, and body-focused repetitive behaviors such as skin-picking and hair-pulling (Excoriation Disorder and Trichotillomania).

I am AAPI and LGBTQ-aligned and strive to center and elevate those communities.

In therapy, we will tend to old wounds, repair ruptures in relationships with self and others, and increase your sense of self-understanding, acceptance, and growth. I celebrate your taking a step towards inner healing and am so excited to work with you!

I welcome transparency, bring an intentional yet flexible agenda to each session, and have been described as warm and professional. I encourage you to take advantage of a free consultation to address any initial questions/concerns and see if we're a good fit (it’s okay if we’re not!). I am committed to making our work together meaningful and impactful.

My therapeutic approach is curious and humanistic; I see people as imperfect, ever-changing, inspiring, and limitless. I offer and welcome transparency, bring an intentional but flexible agenda to each session, and am warm and directive in my style.

I have an eclectic therapeutic orientation that is grounded in relational, humanistic, strengths-based, multiculturalism, psychodynamic, and existential schools of thought. My practice is also influenced by philosophies such as post-colonialism, liberation, critical race, attachment, feminist, queer, and multicultural theories. Regardless of what brings you into therapy, I will meet you where you are, be with you through the highs and lows that can accompany self-awareness and growth, and draw on your lived experience, wisdom, insights, and strengths.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is my primary modality and augmented by other approaches as needed, including DBT and ego state therapy/parts work. EMDR is an evidence-based modality that helps people process through traumatic events that uses Adaptive Information Processing, bilateral stimulation, and dual attention. I also incorporate Ego State Therapy and Hypnotherapy into trauma work.

For information on advanced clinical trainings I’ve completed, click here. I'm a life long learner and continuously update my therapeutic skills.