Marissa Yoshikawa-Machado, LMHC - Therapist in Hawaii

About Marissa

Marissa Yoshikawa-Machado is a licensed mental health counselor who focuses on family and parenting concerns alongside stress, anxiety, relationships, grief, and coping with life changes. She works with people facing depression, trauma and abuse, and issues around self-esteem. Marissa uses clear, practical tools to help clients talk through worries and find manageable next steps.

She draws on Client-Centered principles to build a respectful, nonjudgmental space. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is used to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and try new behaviors.

Background and approach

Mindfulness techniques help people notice the present moment more calmly and reduce overwhelm. With four years of experience, Marissa has worked in settings with clients who face communication problems, workplace stress, and transitions. She aims to listen first, then offer small, doable strategies that fit daily life.

Sessions emphasize collaboration and steady progress rather than quick fixes. Her approach pays attention to emotional safety and practical change. Marissa encourages talking through difficult feelings like guilt, shame, or loneliness and supports steps toward forgiveness and self-love.

People leave with clearer choices and tools they can use between sessions. Marissa practices in Hawaii and conducts therapy in English. She offers a mix of session formats so people can choose what fits their schedule and comfort.

To begin, prospective clients follow a short matching process and schedule sessions when ready.

Approaches and online care that fit family and parenting needs

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a respectful, accepting space where people can talk without judgment; it helps when someone needs to feel heard and understood. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect and teaches practical steps to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and change unhelpful patterns. Mindfulness practices train simple moment-to-moment awareness to reduce reactivity and bring calm during stressful parenting moments.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. Marissa will work with the client to figure out which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences. She combines listening with small experiments and exercises so the plan can shift as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexibility for busy households. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation from home, phone sessions can work when screen time is limited, and live chat or text-based messaging can provide check-ins between sessions. These options make it easier to fit regular work on family, communication, and coping skills into a tight schedule while keeping therapy consistent and practical.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Mindfulness Therapy

Attention training: noticing thoughts and physical feelings as they arrive without being carried off by them. Much of it is practice you do yourself, so guidance over video or audio works much as it would in person.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does Marissa help with?

She works with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem, depression, and coping with life changes. Additional focuses include communication problems, forgiveness, guilt and shame, isolation or loneliness, self-love, and workplace issues.

How would you describe her therapy style?

Her style is collaborative and straightforward, with an emphasis on listening first. She blends Client-Centered warmth with practical tools from CBT and mindfulness techniques.

What is her background in counseling?

Marissa has four years of experience working in varied clinical settings with clients facing anxiety, depression, major life transitions, and communication difficulties.

What are her credentials and where is she located?

She is a licensed mental health counselor with the Hawaii LMHC number MHC-798 and practices in Hawaii.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What formats are available for sessions?

Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.

How are fees handled for therapy?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with Marissa?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Stress, Anxiety

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 4 years
Licensed: Hawaii
Languages: English

Next step

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