About Me

I’m Ayaka (pronounced ah-YAH-kah), and I’m an Asian American therapist specializing in people pleasing, trauma, relational challenges, and perfectionism. I use a combination of evidence-based approaches, including relational, cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness-based therapy, to help clients explore their past without judgement, allow their wounded parts toheal, and find purpose and fulfillment in their lives. 

I was born and raised in Chiba, Japan, until I moved to Los Angeles, CA at the age of nine. After completing my undergraduate studies at New York University, I returned to my homeland to work as a financial planner at a life insurance company in Tokyo. It was through working extensively with death benefit payouts that I discovered my passion for cultivating meaningful relationships with my clients, listening empathetically to their stories, and being by their side as they navigated profound losses in their lives. This experience ultimately led me to embark on a new career path dedicated to helping others navigate their journeys toward healing. The lessons I learned from my own career transition inform how I support clients facing similar uncertainties in their professional lives.

Drawing from my personal background in being raised in two different countries by bicultural parents, I strive to provide culturally sensitive care to all. I have found success working with individuals and couples from various ages and backgrounds, particularly high-achieving adults and interracial/intercultural couplesin their 20s and 30s.

I hold an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from New York University, with additional training in somatic and trauma-informed care — including EMDR (Connect EMDR) and Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (ICEEFT).

Outside of sessions, you’ll find me enjoying a long walk with my little anxious dog (he's learning how to set healthy boundaries at the dog park), perusing the cookbook section in my local bookstore, or seeking out the best sushi in town (recommendations welcome!).