How did I get here?

One step at a time…

I was born and raised in Kona on the big island of Hawaii. Coffee trees and macadamia nut trees surrounded me and I spent my days running around the coffee land with my brother pretending to be in a magical land. Little did I know I already was in a magical land. It’s hard to be from a rock in the middle of the ocean. Life as a teenager has its own challenges, but when you are growing up in one of the most isolated places in the world there can be a few added obstacles. I’m not sure why I have always had a passion for working with the most challenging youth. Perhaps it has to do with my mom… I could always see the passion in my mom’s eyes as she got ready for work to tackle a new day as a teacher working with her students. I always wanted to have a job that I felt that passionate about. My dad is an internal medicine doctor and my very first work experience was in the private practice setting as his receptionist answering phone calls and getting the office ready to receive patients. He taught me the importance of quality patient care. This background combined with a personal struggle with my own anger has led me to this point. I know how hard it is to control a fire inside that burns from a place so deep. As I entered the mental health field and began working with teenagers, I realized that this interest in anger management is something that I wanted to focus on. So Toyama Therapy Co. was born. I’m committed to working with the youth of Hawaii to improve their mental health, coping skills, and ability to communicate with their caregivers. I am on a mission.