Although I thought about becoming a psychotherapist in high school, when I read that people with my particular Myers-Briggs personality type tend to be good ones, I am someone who has taken the long road to get here. I have many interests and, through the years, I have explored many facets of myself. My parents founded a faith-supported Christian ministry and are still engaged in full-time Christian work. I come from a bicultural family (my father is Japanese American and my mother is European American). I’m also adopted. I also grew up as the sibling of someone with special needs. Along the way, I’ve engaged in my own process of self-exploration, healing, and growth.
Why did you become a therapist?
Becoming a therapist is a reflection of my faith in God who draws near to humans and who brings healing by being present with us. I have found tremendous healing in my own life because of the ways that others have been present. I believe that at the root of human experience is our need for relationships. So many of our problems come into existence because of the lack of deep, meaningful connection with others from our earliest experience. Therefore, healing and growth happens best in relationship with other people.
Experiences that inform my work
I have a variety of international, intercultural, interreligious, occupational experiences from which to draw during our work together:
My B.A. is in Diplomacy and World Affairs with a minor in English and Comparative Literary Studies. I attended a semester-long conflict studies program in Ireland and Northern Ireland and interviewed Protestant and Catholic peacebuilders in Belfast for an independent study. I have experience with variety of Christian traditions and have provided leadership in a number of settings. Additionally, I assisted a Christian nonprofit in creative curriculum development. I lived and worked in Hawai‘i, immersed myself in Native Hawaiian culture, and partnered with those working to empower indigenous Hawaiians. I obtained an M.A. in Intercultural Studies with an Islamic Studies emphasis, studying and working in Lebanon (in a practicum placement at an academic institute seeking to transform interactions between Christians and Muslims through education, peacebuilding, and advocacy) and participating in Muslim-Christian dialogues to address the concerns of Palestinian refugees. I worked briefly for a nonprofit that specializes in reducing protein-energy malnutrition in rural Afghanistan through capacity building in agriculture and food processing. Finally, I earned an M.S. in Marital and Family Therapy and completed my traineeship at Sync Counseling Center, where I continue to work as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (#110232).
What is your formal training?
Education
M.S. Marital and Family Therapy
Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California
M.A. Intercultural Studies
(Islamic Studies Emphasis)
Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California
B.A. Diplomacy and World Affairs
(Minor in English and Comparative Literary Studies)
Occidental College, Los Angeles, California
Training
Traineeship: Sync Counseling Center
Sync’s training integrates contemporary psychoanalytic theory, philosophy, and theology in clinical work. Sync supervisors train therapists to assist clients in developing an increased awareness of emotional and relational patterns that hinder their ability to form and enjoy healthy and satisfying relationships with others. Once clients are aware of these patterns, they will be able to change typical ways of relating that no longer work for them. Sync therapists consider the therapeutic relationship itself to provide important interpersonal experiences, which can then facilitate growth in other relationships.
Professional Affiliation
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
San Gabriel Valley CAMFT (SGV-CAMFT)
What makes you unique as a therapist?
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What will therapy with you be like?
A Good Fit
Every therapist has a theoretical perspective (sometimes, an eclectic one) to organize his/her work. A client may not be able to pick out the specific qualities that make one therapeutic approach different from another, but the approach may contribute to a client’s sense of whether the therapist is a good fit.
My Approach to Therapy
I adjust to fit each client’s unique needs and personality. Typically, my approach involves supporting clients on a journey of self-discovery, identifying how past relationships inform their experience of current ones and shape their interactions. I consider the therapeutic relationship itself to be a valuable source of information about how clients relate to others and will, on occasion, inquire about potentially illuminating aspects of our interactions. Together, we’ll expand your self-knowledge, increase your ability to tolerate various emotions, and practice new ways of interacting, with the hope of increasing your freedom and flexibility in interacting with others, rather than being held captive by old patterns that may have protected you or helped you to cope during other seasons of life, but which no longer work well for you. We’ll discover how the process of healing and growth will work best for you.
What can I expect to from therapy with you?
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My Commitment to You
I commit to doing my best to listen, learn to see through your eyes, and support you on your healing and growing journey using your frame of reference as a guide. I take seriously encountering you as a unique individual, couple, or family.