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Business Excerpt
Aska Yoshizu, SEP LMFT is a supporter and advocate for those exploring non-normative relationships and sexuality through deep self-inquiries and courageous communication with their partners, friends, and family.
Business Description
I am Aska Yoshizu, SEP (Somatic Experiencing Practitioner), LMFT (Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist) at Center for Mindful Psychotherapy. I have been working with individuals and couples from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities to overcome their challenges stemming from the systemic oppression, intersectionality, and internalized oppressive narratives that we all carry. Such challenges can show up in various ways in our lives, such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationships. Since 2010 I have directly studied with trauma experts; Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine, Gabor Maté, Daniel Siegel, Stephen Porges, David Grand, David Berceli, and Bruce Perry.
As an adult immigrant from Japan and a former translator, I have first-hand experiences and understanding of how our cultures and societies deeply influence our feelings, thoughts, beliefs and behaviors. Not aware of such influences, we could run into unintended conflicts, misunderstandings or disconnections from ourselves and important people in our lives (a.k.a. Culture Clash). This is especially true for those historically and systematically oppressed, like people in immigrant, BIPOC, queer, non-monogamy, sex-positive communities. I am a supporter and advocate for those exploring non-normative relationships and sexuality through deep self-inquiries and courageous communication with their partners, friends, and family.
Working with you, I will support you:
- to see your challenges in the cultural, social, and historical context in order to reduce shame and blame. Letting go of shame and blame help you reclaim your power.
- to cultivate self-awareness and self-compassion, and reconnect to your unique strengths and agency. Self-awareness and self-compassion will increase your capacity to handle both external stressors (ie. work, family, social issues) and internal stressors (ie. emotional/cognitive habits rooted in personal or/and family histories of adverse experiences or traumas).
- to envision and take actions toward to the life you want to live
My approach is trauma-informed, neuroscience-backed, client-centered, solution-focus, mindfulness-based, somatic, relational, experimental, and playful. My work is inspired and influenced by the following training and explorations:
- SE: Somatic Experiencing
- Polyvagal Theory
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Attachment Theory
- Parts Work: RCS: Re-Creation of the Self, IFS: Internal Family System
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The Wheel of Consent by Betty Martin
- PACT: Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy
- Multiamory Podcast
- Where should we begin? with Esther Perel
- "More than Word" by John Howard
- Sex and Sexuality Trauma Resolution by Ariel Giarretto
- "Busting Myths about Male Sexuality" by Dr. Joe Kort
- "Ethical Porn for Dicks" by David J Ley, Ph.D.
- "Come as You Are" by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D.
- "Polysecure" by Jessica Fern
- "Beyond Satisfied" by Kenneth Play
- MAPS MDMA Therapy (Please note: currently offering only preparation & integration work but not dosage sessions)
- Working with Psychedelics to Treat Substance Use Issues
- Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy
- Brainspotting: a spinoff of EMDR
- Hakomi
- Yoga: E-RYT 500, Therapeutic Yoga
- Meditation: Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chödrön, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Spirit Rock, Stanford Cultivating Compassion, UCSF Cultivating Emotional Balance,
- TRE: Trauma and Tension Release Exercises
Because many people have painful experiences from working with therapists, coaches, teachers, etc who are different from them in one way or another, I want to acknowledge that I too have privileges, biases, and blindspots coming with who I am; a 50-something years old bilingual/bicultural Asian, in a monogamy relationship by concious choice, mostly cisgender female, mostly heterosexual, nondisabled, neurotypical, healthy, educated, middle-class, divorcee without kids, residence of SF Bay Area for 20+ years. I am also cognizant of the embedded power-difference between clients and a therapeutic service provider, which puts clients in a rather vulnerable place. To provide the best possible experience to my clients, I am committed to stay humble and open to different perspectives and own up to my mistakes when I drop the ball.
Please check out my bio and book a free phone consultation to see if we are a good fit.
Country
USA
State
California