Shaela Sakamoto

Aloha! My name is Shaela and I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Hawai’i. I am a Native Hawaiian wahine, born and raised on the island of Maui. Therapy to me is helping others find themselves when things can be challenging. I am committed to helping people of Hawai’i through their life struggles. Living on an island can come with stressors and I want to provide a healing place for people in Hawai’i.

My approach

I use an eclectic assortment of approaches that are tailored to your needs. I believe using a client-centered approach can meet the needs of people of Hawai’i since we can be at different stages in our lives. In Hawai’i, we have similarities in how we are raised and I want to bring that to my practice since I was born and raised in Maui. A sense of trust and understanding of the way we are brought up here in Hawai’i is most important to me in my approach. I also like to use a “talk story” approach because many locals here on the islands can relate to this saying.

My focus

I graduated from Grand Canyon University in Arizona in my undergraduate as well as graduate degree. I have been working in the mental health field in Hawai’i for the last 5 years. Being able to perpetuate mental health services for the people of Hawai’i is one of my main goals. Whether you want to find your purpose or just need some time to explore your true self. I am open to working with anyone who is willing to understand themselves and better themselves. I am most comfortable working with single parents, young adults, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Family and Relationship challenges, as well as Work Stress.

My communication style

I like to create a safe and healing space for my clients. Here in Hawaii, the saying we use is to “talk story”. This communication style is client-centered and helps the clients feel comfortable and have a sense of understanding. Although we may live on the Hawaiian islands, we all have different stories and enjoy learning about my clients' own story. It is important for my clients to feel validated and understood through their mental health journey.

My journey to mental healthcare

I was first introduced to therapy when I was in high school and was the student that was in the counseling center but never realized it was actually therapy until later on in life. I used this time in the counseling center to build trust and gain understanding on my life back then. As I got older, I experienced loss of a child and really dove deep into my mental health journey. Through all of this, I knew my purpose. Which was to give back to the people of Hawai’i by providing them with a safe and understanding space, which now we call therapy.

My goals for you

I like to work with simple goals at first because change can be challenging at first. I recommend focusing on 1-2 goals at a time then adding in more once those goals are met.

My first session with you

The first step is reaching out, which is what you are doing now! Which is such a huge step! During our first session, I like to provide the client with space to share what they feel comfortable with. Whether that be, goals, challenges, history, what you expect out of therapy, and so forth. Once information is shared and ground rules are established, we will continue with exploring ways to help you reach your goals.