Emi Iijima

My name is Emi Iijima, and I am a Clinical Psychologist who has been practicing in the community for over ten years. I have experience working in rehabilitation and assisted living facilities while I have my private practice in my office in South Pasadena, CA. My passion also extends to teaching psychology students. I learned the importance of being authentic as a therapist and helping clients live with hope and find meaning in life.

My approach

I use mainly Humanistic-Existential Therapy and CBT depending on clients' needs. I also analyze from a psychodynamic perspective. Most of all, I value being authentic as a therapist.

My focus

I primarily work with adults and older adults who have depression, anxiety, aging issues, life transitional issues, stress related to medical/physical illness and disability, mild cognitive impairment, and loss and grief.

My communication style

My focus is to provide a warm, open, and non-judgmental environment. I often check how clients feel to ensure the therapeutic alliance is strong.

My journey to mental healthcare

I am originally from Japan and came to the U.S. to become a psychologist over 25 years ago. I found compassion and passion in seeing adults and older adults with many different backgrounds, and being a therapist has become my lifework.

My goals for you

It's collaborative work, and we always revisit goals to see if we can adjust them depending on clients' conditions and needs.

My first session with you

I focus on what brought a client to therapy and create a safe, warm environment to build rapport. I will ensure the client feels comfortable and heard at the initial session. To make sure of our planning goals, I will ask some questions.