About
b. 1983, the younger of two, a second-generation Japanese American daughter. I grew up between Southern California and Arizona. I was a shy, tenderhearted, rather serious child.
I received my Masters in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco. I have provided therapy to individuals, couples, and groups in a hospice agency, community clinic, and in private practice. I have several years of post-graduate training focused in psychodynamic/psychoanalytic theory, which continues to be a deep interest for me.
In my day-to-day, I tend to be calm, gentle, and playful. I have a good sense of humor! I think all of these qualities inform my sensibility as a therapist with both adults and children.
Credentials/Education
- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, CA 16843
- Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, CA 127880
- M.A. Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
- Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Training Program, San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis (San Francisco, CA)
- Post-Graduate Training Program, The Psychotherapy Institute (Berkeley, CA)
Services for Adults and Couples/Dyads
Therapy with adults
The adults I work with tend to be people who want to get to the heart of their persistent dissatisfaction, understand themselves more clearly, come to terms with their losses, and live more freely in their relationships with other people. I have worked with clients experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, grief, dread, chronic stress, and developmental trauma. My therapeutic style is relaxed, relational, and good-humored. My work tends to be flexible and focused on long-term growth.
Therapy with me can look like...
- Developing a trusting, lively, and supportive working relationship
- Saying things you haven’t said out loud before
- Playing with alternative points of view + helping you notice aspects of your situation that you don’t see
- Exploring feelings + tensions that get in the way of our understanding each other
- Examining the social, cultural, and historical forces that (have) shape(d) your life and identities
- Connecting you to outside resources that may support your growth
Therapy with couples/dyads (pairs of two)
I offer relationship therapy to couples and dyads, including romantic partners, adult parent/child pairs, siblings, and close friends. By the time two people come to therapy, there is often a long history of hurt and disconnection between them. My goal in working with pairs is to help restore hope, trust, and understanding and hold a place for each person's deeper emotional needs to be spoken and heard.
Services for Children, Adolescents, and Families
Therapy with young children (ages 0-5), caregivers, and families
Early childhood lays the foundation upon which our sense of self, our relationships, and our expectations of the world are built. Intervening in problems during these crucial years can help young children avoid later emotional strife and develop the skills to have healthier, more fulfilling lives as adults. I aim to support young children get back on their developmental track and to help caregivers cultivate relationships with their children that serve as a lifelong, mutual source of love and support.
Sessions may involve collaborative meetings with a child and their caregiver(s) along with 1:1 work with a child.
Therapy with children and adolescents
Later childhood and adolescence are tender and dramatic periods full of challenge, change, and growth. The young people I work with may struggle with a variety of life problems, such as anxiety, questions about their identity, learning challenges, family strife, and difficulty understanding or managing their emotions. I aim to provide safe conditions for a young person to develop trust in themselves and help them find and recognize their own authentic language for how they feel and what they think.
Depending on a child’s age, developmental stage, and interests, our sessions will involve talk therapy, creative expression, play, skill-building, or some combination thereof.
Locations
I provide psychotherapy to children, adolescents, adults, and couples/dyads through my private practice in Oakland, CA.
445 Bellevue Ave Suite 6B
Oakland, CA 94610
I provide psychotherapy to young children (ages 0-8) and caregivers & families of young children through The Center for Early Childhood Connections in Albany, CA. I work in this office on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday mornings.
The Center for Early Childhood Connections
1009b Solano Avenue,
Albany, CA, 94706
I offer telehealth psychotherapy to adolescents, adults, and couples/dyads via Zoom video or phone.
Fees
Fees (private practice)
- I charge $175 per 50-minute session for individual children, adults, and adolescents.
- I charge $195 per 60-minute session for adult couples/dyads and families.
As of May 2025: All of the reduced fee slots in my private practice are full.
I do not accept insurance. I can provide superbills if your insurance provider offers reimbursement for out-of-network providers. I encourage you to verify that your insurance plan includes benefits for out-of-network mental health/behavioral health services before we begin working together.
If you are interested in learning more about services & fees at The Center for Early Childhood Connections, please visit this page to reach out.