I offer Visionary Re-Mothering Amae Therapy for undermothered women and men who would like to have a second chance to be mothered as they navigate their lives towards more fulfillment. Amae is a word in Japanese
which means sweet dependency. When our dependency needs are fully understood and embraced as an integral,
hard-wired aspects of our attachment/relational state, the fulfillment of those needs feel safe and utterly sweet.
I have received a Masters degree in social work from University of Southern California in 1980, and have been in private practice for the last 37 years. I have been evolving the way I work with my clients as I continue to integrate my deeply rewarding learning experiences with them, my own psychospiritual growth, and a continuous training in various healing modalities.
My work is informed by the following theoretical orientations and/or modalities: Dr. Jonice Webb's CEN( Childhood Emotional Neglect ) training - Level 2(the highest level), Attachment Theory, Psychosynthesis- Level 3, AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy)- Level 2, ISTDP ( Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Therapy) , NeuroAffective Touch ( Aline LaPierre's work), IFS ( Internal Family Systems Therapy), Emotionally Focused Therapy, Self-Psychology,Client-Centered Therapy, Relational Cultural Therapy, SoulCollage, EMDR ( Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), Non-Violent Communication, Alchemical Hypnotherapy, Gestalt Therapy, Family Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, Reiki, Bach Flower Remedies, Somatic Healing, Buddhism, and Integral Yoga Psychology. I am just starting to learn Ellyn Bader's Developmental Model of Couple Therapy.
Although I am continuously open to and incorporating new theories and methodologies of healing, it is the alchemical, collaborative dance between my clients and myself that is the real teacher and guide.
My cultural and ethnic heritage, stemming from being born in Japan as a Korean also contributes to my ability to view a healthy mother-child bond as a valuable, critical resource for undermothered adults to better interface with our rapidly changing industrial - technological world. I also have learned about and value differences and uniqueness, as well as about the pain of being subjected to prejudice and racism through living in :
-5 different countries ( the US - for the longest, last 46 years; Japan; Korea; India; Denmark)
-as well as the East Coast, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and the California ( Southern and Northern California, now in Berkeley )
I am constantly discovering ways to be conscientiously professional and ethical, while allowing myself to be personal, open and warm. I want my clients to feel that they are real individuals relating to a real person of the therapist. I truly aspire to be a therapist who can be entrusted to do the very intimate and sensitive work of re-mothering. I did not develop this re-mothering work out of a vacuum. It was created out of my own first-hand, painful experience of being undermothered and the difficulty I had in healing my wounds through existing Western forms of psychotherapy. I attempt to take the best from Western psychotherapy orientation towards individuation and separation, and integrate that with Eastern cultural and spiritual sensibilities of belonging and Oneness.
Membership Affiliations:
American Psychological Association - Associate Member
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists- Affiliate Member
East Bay Therapist Association - California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, East Bay Chapter
AEDP Institute
United States Association for Body Psychotherapy
ISTDP Norcal
For a more detailed description of my work, please read my articles in the article section of this website.
which means sweet dependency. When our dependency needs are fully understood and embraced as an integral,
hard-wired aspects of our attachment/relational state, the fulfillment of those needs feel safe and utterly sweet.
I have received a Masters degree in social work from University of Southern California in 1980, and have been in private practice for the last 37 years. I have been evolving the way I work with my clients as I continue to integrate my deeply rewarding learning experiences with them, my own psychospiritual growth, and a continuous training in various healing modalities.
My work is informed by the following theoretical orientations and/or modalities: Dr. Jonice Webb's CEN( Childhood Emotional Neglect ) training - Level 2(the highest level), Attachment Theory, Psychosynthesis- Level 3, AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy)- Level 2, ISTDP ( Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Therapy) , NeuroAffective Touch ( Aline LaPierre's work), IFS ( Internal Family Systems Therapy), Emotionally Focused Therapy, Self-Psychology,Client-Centered Therapy, Relational Cultural Therapy, SoulCollage, EMDR ( Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), Non-Violent Communication, Alchemical Hypnotherapy, Gestalt Therapy, Family Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, Reiki, Bach Flower Remedies, Somatic Healing, Buddhism, and Integral Yoga Psychology. I am just starting to learn Ellyn Bader's Developmental Model of Couple Therapy.
Although I am continuously open to and incorporating new theories and methodologies of healing, it is the alchemical, collaborative dance between my clients and myself that is the real teacher and guide.
My cultural and ethnic heritage, stemming from being born in Japan as a Korean also contributes to my ability to view a healthy mother-child bond as a valuable, critical resource for undermothered adults to better interface with our rapidly changing industrial - technological world. I also have learned about and value differences and uniqueness, as well as about the pain of being subjected to prejudice and racism through living in :
-5 different countries ( the US - for the longest, last 46 years; Japan; Korea; India; Denmark)
-as well as the East Coast, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and the California ( Southern and Northern California, now in Berkeley )
I am constantly discovering ways to be conscientiously professional and ethical, while allowing myself to be personal, open and warm. I want my clients to feel that they are real individuals relating to a real person of the therapist. I truly aspire to be a therapist who can be entrusted to do the very intimate and sensitive work of re-mothering. I did not develop this re-mothering work out of a vacuum. It was created out of my own first-hand, painful experience of being undermothered and the difficulty I had in healing my wounds through existing Western forms of psychotherapy. I attempt to take the best from Western psychotherapy orientation towards individuation and separation, and integrate that with Eastern cultural and spiritual sensibilities of belonging and Oneness.
Membership Affiliations:
American Psychological Association - Associate Member
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists- Affiliate Member
East Bay Therapist Association - California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, East Bay Chapter
AEDP Institute
United States Association for Body Psychotherapy
ISTDP Norcal
For a more detailed description of my work, please read my articles in the article section of this website.