Hiroko NAGANO, MA, LMHC, MHP ​

Hiroko Nagano is a Mental Health Counselor in the State of Washington (State license number: LH60996161). She received a M.A. from Northwest University in Counseling Psychology. She is a certified practitioner for CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy) and TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Her work is very flexible, with emphases that vary depending on the client’s needs and the nature of the issues being treated. 

Hiroko has also been collaborating with a domestic violence support agency for more than 5 years to work closely with DV survivors and children, providing trauma-informed therapy such as TF-CBT and PCIT. Her therapeutic style is warm, nonjudgmental, compassionate, and sincere. The common theme throughout her work is an emphasis on client-centeredness and mindfulness. Her passion is to help people find their voice, recognize their strengths and power, identify their potential, and achieve their dreams, in addition to helping them accept themselves to develop healthy self-esteem, and reduce negative feelings.

Prior to becoming a therapist, Hiroko enjoyed working as a journalist in Tokyo and in New York for more than 15 years. She studied law at Kumamoto University in Japan and Sociology at the City University of New York. Her interests are psycho-socioeconomic issues of marginalized individuals or groups, including First Nations people, African-Americans, Hispanic and Latino Americans, Asian Americans, women, LGBTQ people, and being active in social advocacy for Black Lives Matter, women’s rights, gun control, suicide prevention, etc.

The life-changing experience occurred in 2011 when the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami hit the northern part of Japan. She temporarily evacuated Tokyo to Washington State, feeling overwhelmed and hoping the situation would be resolved soon. However, the situation got worse due to nuclear power plant damage and radiation spreading to the Tokyo area. She and her family decided to move to Seattle permanently to prioritize the safety of their children.

For about a year, she was continuously worrying about her friends and families there, binge-watching TV news and reading articles, which made her mentally exhausted. One day, she finally realized that she needed to live a life in the here and now and felt compelled to help out people who were affected by traumatic events, including natural disasters, accidents, or abusive relationships. 

Hiroko is currently providing remote mental health counseling, including individual, family, group, parenting skills training, etc., utilizing a secure tele-heath platform. She is currently offering a free 50-minute trial session. Please feel free to contact her.