Dr. Erin Gustin, MA, PsyD, LP
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Owner of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Dr. Erin Gustin, MA, PsyD, LP is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who received her Master's degree and Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Spalding University in Louisville, KY. She is the Clinical Director of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC. Dr. Gustin moved to Hawai'i Island in 2014 and quickly became aware of the crucial need for mental health services and clinicians on the island, and thus founded Pau Hana Counseling, LLC in 2015. She became passionate about improving the accessibility of mental health services for the residents of Hawai'i and began expanding services available through Pau Hana Counseling, LLC. Dr. Gustin has chosen to not currently take on new therapy clients so that she can focus on supervising the other clinicians in the practice and continue to help as many Hawai'i residents as possible. She also recently began working on her Certificate in Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii-Hilo.
Dr. Gustin specialized in Child, Adolescent, and Family Therapy with an emphasis on chemical dependency and addiction in her graduate training and early clinical years. She has worked in group home settings with adults with severe mental illness, community based and in-home settings with children and adolescents, a crisis stabilization center for children, state facilities with court ordered clients, and a college counseling center for young adults and adults with college transitional issues. After receiving her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Dr. Gustin began working at the Hazelden Foundation with teenagers, young adults, and adults with addiction, chemical abuse and dependency, and co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis. While at Hazelden, she worked with clients with depression, anxiety, personality disorders, ADHD, PTSD, eating disorders, process and behavioral addictions, gambling addictions, sexual addictions, chronic pain, trauma, abuse and neglect issues, grief and loss issues, and self-harm issues. After opening Pau Hana Counseling, LLC on Hawai'i Island, Dr. Gustin became interested in treating trauma and became trained in EMDR therapy. She has a passion for working with couples and is trained in several methods of couples counseling. She is currently active in the Big Island Sand Play community and has specialized training in art therapy, sand tray therapy, and play therapy.
Hannah Hancock, MSW, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Clinical Director of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Hannah Hancock, MSW, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Master’s degree from Walla Walla University. She became the Assistant Clinical Director at Pau Hana Counseling, LLC in 2021 and was promoted to Clinical Director in 2023. Hannah began working in the mental health field at a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility in Billings, Montana. Hannah continued to work at the treatment facility while completing graduate school and working full-time in school-based mental health as a Behavior Specialist. Upon graduation, Hannah moved to Asheville, North Carolina to work as a full-time in-home therapist, providing the highest level of community-based care available. After serving as a therapist and supervisor, Hannah moved to the Hilo area on the Big Island to work for Pau Hana Counseling, LLC and continue serving adult individuals as they pursue healing, growth, and change in their lives.
Hannah utilizes a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach that focuses on the whole person and the environment in which they live. Hannah most frequently uses approaches from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution Focused Therapy. She looks forward to working collaboratively with you towards your goals.
Syntha Lorenz, MA, LMFT, REAT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Registered Expressive Art Therapist
Assistant Clinical Director of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Syntha Lorenz, MA, LMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Expressive Arts Therapist. She began working with Pau Hana Counseling in 2021 and was promoted to Assistant Clinical Director in 2023. She is Jungian-oriented and considers herself a Feminist psychotherapist with an Object-Relations base. She believes in the power of therapy and its ability to heal wounds. She has established herself professionally in the psychotherapy world for over 15 years. She has been a devout student of Spirit her entire life. She also holds a ministry credential and lives in sacred space and ritual. She loves to co-create sacred space and ritual for others for all sorts of life transitions. She has worked with non-traditional healers for over 25 years using alternative healing techniques such as shamanistic journey, dreams, ritual, body awareness, guided imagery, art, authentic movement, and healing touch. She is aware that cultural misappropriation of terms is a further insult to Native cultures, therefore she uses the term Shaman with a great deal of respect and consideration.
Syntha has experience and training in both worlds, traditional and non-traditional, and has dived deep into the psyche to explore buried material. She believes in the importance of a therapist first doing their own work, and holds the belief that she can accompany people only to the depths that she's been to in her own process of healing. She greatly values the work she's done in her own healing and seeks to transmit this healing to others
Damien Young, MA, LMFT, CCTP
Licensed Marriage And Family Therapist
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
Program Director of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC
Damien Young, MA, LMFT, CCTP brings with him years of diverse clinical experience and a deep passion for healing work. Damien began working with Pau Hana Counseling in 2022 and was promoted to Program Director in 2023. His personal path that called him into the field was at the intersection of psychology, spirituality, and a close relationship with the natural world. Damien is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and specializes in the treatment of trauma via experiential therapies such as EMDR, IFS, and somatic therapies, family systems, attachment theory, addiction and codependency, transpersonal psychology, and nature-based therapy. As a clinical supervisor, Damien is passionate about providing support and guidance with an emphasis on empowering clinicians to reach their greatest potential via their own unique path forged from their strengths, their personality, and what inspires them.
Dr. Jennifer De Costa, PhD, MFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Dr. Jennifer De Costa is a licensed marriage and family therapist who received a Master’s degree in Psychology from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. She received a second Master’s degree in Education with a focus on Counseling, Family and Human Service specializing in Individual, Marriage and Family therapy from the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR. Her training included an internship at UO, Center for Family Therapy. She completed her doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies with an emphasis in Family Intervention from Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR.
She began her career as a volunteer family therapist at a community-based clinic in Eugene, OR. After receiving her doctorate, she moved to the Big Island to continue serving adults, children, and families. Since her return, she has worked at an addiction’s treatment center with a focus on addictions, recovery, and violence prevention and intervention, provided home-based clinical support for a non-profit agency, worked at a Federally Qualified Health Center and a community hospital before transitioning to Pau Hana Counseling. Dr. De Costa utilizes a strength-based approach, along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution Focused Therapy. She believes a collaborative partnership is an important foundation in treatment.
Sophia Bernard, PhD, LMFT, LMT, C-IAYT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Sophia Bernard, PhD, LMFT, LMT, Yoga Therapist C-IAYT (RYT 500), is a passionate teacher, dancer, bodyworker, and Somatic Trauma Therapist. As a certified Rosen Method Practitioner and inspired by her studies of Somatic Psychology and Birth Psychology, she specializes in Somatic Integration, especially after trauma and loss, and the reconnection with the physical and emotional aspects of health that have been compromised, dissociated, or lost over the course of stressful and traumatic life events.
Sophia completed her comprehensive training as a Yoga Therapist at Ajna Yoga in Victoria, BC in 2019 and is certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). She holds a license as Naturopathic Doctor (ND) in Germany and has been teaching Reiki Healing Arts in the tradition of Usui Shiki Ryoho for more than thirty years. Sophia was recently certified in Hypnotherapy by the national Guild of Hypnosis and is currently working on her certification in Brain Spotting and EMDR. She works in private practice in Half Moon Bay, California; Portland, Oregon and Hawaii and offers individual sessions and groups in Yoga Therapy, Rosen Method Bodywork, Family Constellation, Inner Child Work, Sandtray, Relational Somatic Psychotherapy, and offers DreamTending Evenings on Maui. Sophia’s work is attentive, gentle, intuitive, and deeply inspired by the recognition that we all heal best, when we are held with kindness and truly listened to within a safe environment that allows us to feel supported and respected as we unfold naturally and access once again our birthright – the blueprint of our inner health
Jody Dunlap, MSW, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Jody Dunlap, MSW, LCSW has been a practicing social worker for over 40 years. Her personal and professional belief is how well people function is about how they process their life events.Through resiliency, the healthy tools they have learned or will learn and the belief in oneself, self-forgiveness and self-acceptance can emerge. As a result, she believes that people can learn to be their better selves. Jody believes that for healing and change to begin, it's important to identify what's working in their lives, what they are proud of and like about themselves. She also believe it's important to identify what tools have worked in the past when there have been struggles. Jody believes that people seeing their strengths and capabilities is critical in the beginning stages of therapy.
Jody practices from a psychodynamic approach and tries to assist people in understanding and gaining personal insight about events from past/present that have shaped their lives. This often opens the door to self-understanding and shuts the door on self-judgement. She has experience working with many presentations of mental health issues. Some examples include, depression, bipolardisorders, anxiety related disorders, grief, including pet loss, and past or present trauma. She has also worked with people who have experienced physical, emotional, psychological trauma in a family setting. She enjoys working with both men and women struggling with anger problems and relationship problems. She works most ages of people, from teens through seniors, as individuals, couples, families or in group settings. She also believes that humor can sometimes be good ‘medicine’ for therapy.
Anuhea St. Laurent, MSCP-LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Anuhea St. Laurent is from Kāneʻohe, Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu and currently lives in Keaʻau, Puna, Hawaiʻi with her ʻohana of five. She graduated from Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, completed her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology at Chaminade University and is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. Anuhea began studying psychology in 2003 and working in the mental health field in 2009. She has experience helping children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity and Autism Spectrum Disorders as a Behavior Specialist, mentoring at-risk adolescents as a Youth Counselor in culturally/nature-based experiential learning settings, supporting adults diagnosed with severe mental illnesses and substance abuse addictions as a Counselor in residential and outpatient treatment facilities, and teaching couples to improve their mindset, habits, and communication when managing family finances.
Anuhea is deeply passionate about helping fellow Native Hawaiians and other BIPOC minorities because she experiences and witnesses the struggles faced daily, trying to navigate systems of oppression. She primarily supports caregivers and leaders who experience burnout, anxiety, depression and/or trauma, specifically healthcare workers, first responders, teachers, parents, activists, entrepreneurs, and other individuals in highly stressful, purpose-driven positions. Anuhea aims to provide culturally-aligned and trauma-informed care through a social justice framework that allows her clients to feel understood, safe, hopeful and empowered. Her therapeutic style focuses on the present, while learning from the past and considering the future while considering all aspects of a person’s health holistically. She takes into consideration the culture and values each client identifies with, and integrates several forms of psychotherapy that adapt to the unique needs of each person depending on their challenges, goals, expectations, and motivation. Anuhea guides her clients not just to alleviate symptoms, but to create self-care routines and coping skills habitually, which allow them to sustain meaningful lives.
Megan Salgado, MSW, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
"As a therapist, I believe my role is to create a safe space where diversity of experiences can be explored with compassion." People make the choice to embark on the journey of therapy for many different reasons. Megan enjoys offering individuals, couples and families the opportunity to explore these reasons in a safe, supportive environment with compassion, support and commitment to each client that she works with.
Megan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor who works with individuals, couples and families. She has extensive experience working with substance abuse issues with people of all ages, children and adolescents that have experienced trauma, as well as with couples and families in healing their relationships.
"I look forward to working together to develop an approach in dealing with your struggles through healing that is specific to you and your loved ones. I look forward to meeting with you."
Lisa Chilson-McCraw, MSW, LCSW, CSAC
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo, Kona and Oahu offices *
Lisa Chilson-McCraw, MSW, LCSW, CSAC is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor in the state of Hawai’i. She is very passionate about serving others and her community. Following a calling, she has committed her life to supporting and helping others through their struggles in life. She describes her work as a blessing, having had the opportunity to serve a multicultural and diverse group of individuals in a variety of settings over the last 14 years. She has worked with individuals who have experienced trauma, domestic violence and abuse (survivors and offenders), victims of human trafficking, substance use issues, grief and loss, significant life changes, and the behaviors/emotions that are often associated.
She describes herself as a warm, genuine, and compassionate person, who listens with her whole heart, and truly wants to help others. She provides a safe and non-judgmental space for her clients to share and work through whatever brings them into therapy. She believes that her clients are the experts in their own lives and each one has a unique perspective, life experience, and path. Meeting her clients where they are, she comes alongside and supports them in their journey toward reaching their goals and healing. She believes people heal and grow within the context of a healthy, trusting, and safe relationship, therefore, that is what she provides to those that come for support.
Tana Teicheira, LCSW, QCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Tana Teicheira, LCSW, QCSW is a graduate of University of Hawai'i-Manoa School of Social Work. She specializes in Cultures and Trauma and has over 35 years experience as a Critical Incident Stress Debrief [CISD] 1st responder internationally. She has worked on the Sexual Assault Response Team [SART] and has been a forensic interviewer and completed more than 2500 emergency mobile Mental Health Crisis Team responses. She enjoys working with individuals, couples, families, inter-generations, adolescents ages 10-18 and utilizes multi-modality therapy approaches.
Tana moved to the Island of Hawai'i in 1979. She has had varied jobs during her time living in Hawai'i, including cattle ranching on the Hamakua coast. She previously oversaw the State of Hawaii Mental Health for the schools of South Kona and Kau. She was also a therapist and interim director for the Kailua-Kona VA. Tana is licensed in Hawaii, as well as California, Oregon, Arizona and Nevada.
LaCortney Maddox, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
LaCortney Maddox, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker who has worked in various settings including day treatment, child protective services, intensive in-home services, a unified school district as one of only two district social workers, residential services for foster youth, and substance treatment facilities. She is now in private practice, having created Maddox Motivations LLC in 2020. As a spouse of an active duty United States Marine, LaCortney has become a licensed clinical social worker in California, South Carolina, and Hawaii, where she currently practices via tele-health therapy.
LaCortney Maddox believes that people need and want to be heard and validated; for treatment to be effective, sources of distress must be acknowledged. Her preferred methods in treatment include creating awareness around people’s cognitive beliefs, allowing them to identify and understand limited thinking, and to create new beliefs and modified behavior. She focuses specifically on distress tolerance, a DBT skill used in tandem with a review of thoughts, feelings, and subsequent actions to assist clients with regulating emotions and improving their outcomes. LaCortney assists clients with identifying sources of distress and increasing focus on areas that are within their control. Through aligning with clients, LaCortney enjoys the shared interpersonal process, allowing clients to be vulnerable and open to being their authentic selves.
Camille Bourcier, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Camille Bourcier, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Psychotherapist and Behavioral Specialist who received her Master’s Degree in Social Work with an emphasis in Mental and Behavioral Health from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. With over ten years experience working with adolescents, young adults, and families in outdoor, educational and therapeutic settings she brings a dynamic style, utilizing a strength-based approach.
Camille has experience working with military families and local behavioral health organizations. In both settings, she supported young people with learning differences and emotional challenges in the development of improved esteem and communication skills. Camille identifies as 'Hapa' and is passionate about working with individuals who identify as mixed race.
Building strong relationships with her clients, Camille provides a foundation to address challenging behaviors and interpersonal issues. With experience in the mental health field and family support services, Camille brings a confident, calm and deliberate approach to her work with individuals and families.
Grace Holbrook, MSW, LSW
Licensed Social Worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Oahu office *
Grace Holbrook, MSW, LSW is a Licensed Social Worker who focuses in treatment that is client centered and strategized to help support clients in accomplishing their goals in therapy. Grace received her Master's Degree from Hawai'i Pacific University, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her goal as a clinician is to create a safe environment for clients to process past or current difficulties, stressors or traumas.
Grace has a background of working with clients who experience anxiety, depression, addiction, PTSD, attachment disorders, personality disorders, and have experienced abuse or neglect. She has worked with clients in both outpatient and inpatient settings.
Nicole Shifflett, MSW, LSW
Licensed Social worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Oahu office *
Nicole Shifflett, MSW, LSW is a Licensed Social Worker who has been working in the field of social work for more than 9 years. She received a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Oklahoma and is passionate about improving the lives of individuals and families within communities. Nicole has experience working directly with survivors of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as well as survivors of domestic violence and individuals who experienced sexual exploitation or sex trafficking. She has considerable experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults who have experienced severe trauma, and other mental health challenges including PTSD, addiction, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, mood disorders, attachment disorders, and behavioral disorders.
Nicole utilizes a trauma-informed and client-centered approach to therapy with a variety of techniques originating from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She focuses on engagement within the therapeutic relationship to ensure the individual feels supported and safe throughout their journey with self-discovery and healing. She supports individuals with reaching their treatment goals whether it includes processing past trauma, challenging negative core beliefs that cause anxiety, learning self-forgiveness to overcome guilt and shame, or discovering worth and values to enhance self-esteem and personal growth. Nicole would like to join you in providing a safe and supportive environment throughout your journey in therapy.
Andrea Nila Negron, MSW, LSW
Licensed Social Worker
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Andrea Nila Negron, MSW, LSW, received her Master’s degree from New Mexico State University. With a background in trauma-informed yoga and bodywork, she brings a psycho-spiritual approach to healing and wellness. She specializes in collaborating with individuals with attachment and developmental trauma using the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), which integrates a cognitive and somatic approach to address the root causes of current life challenges. Nila also has experience supporting individuals in 12-step recovery work.
Mark White, MAC, LMHC, LPC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Mark White, MAC, LMHC, LPC, provides counseling to people across the lifespan. In addition to his extensive clinical background, Mark also holds a masters degree in School Counseling and has a breadth of professional experience as a teacher, school counselor and Head of School.
Mark is dedicated to supporting people healing from behavioral health issues including anxiety, depression, isolation, and problems related to substance use. Mark utilizes a variety of therapeutic approaches that include a solution-focused framework, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and the Hakomi method, as well as Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR).
Mark enjoys being on the ocean, teaching, and growing food. He frequently explores the beauty and dynamic landscape of Hawai'i Island along with his family.
Dale Komoda, LMHC, CSAC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Certified Substance Abuse Counselor
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Dale Komoda, LMHC, CSAC is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who is currently licensed in Hawaii and located on the island of Oahu. Dale believes that substance use in our society has become a serious problem that is connected to underlying issues that needs attention. He acknowledges that sometimes people feel trapped and do not know the answers to feelings of hopelessness, guilt, shame, and fear. Dale states that there is a way out of addiction and that it will take small steps to reach the end goal of happiness.
Dale knows that it can be hard to ask for help, but when people can make a choice for life and to end drug and alcohol addiction. Dale has been actively working with the substance abuse population for 14 years at three different treatment centers. He is enjoys helping people that are struggling with the addictions, he uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify triggers to use drugs and alcohol and uses reality therapy for choices and goals. He believes that it takes courage, determination, focus, repetition, and concentration to stay in recovery and wants to be there to help during the journey.
Hannah L. Dann, LMHC, LPC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Hannah L Dann, LMHC, LPC, received a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2016 from Regis University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and EMDR trained Clinician who has been working in the Human Service field for more than 15 years. Hannah has training in treating Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, which includes EMDR and TF-CBT, both evidence-based treatment modalities. She utilizes a variety of techniques and skills drawn from recognized therapeutic modalities including: EMDR, Strength Based, Somatic Therapy (Somatic Awareness), Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
Hannah engages in a variety of approaches through creating an inviting platform for the complexity and diversity of each individual. This collaborative approach encourages individuals to trust themselves. She believes in working in partnership and comprehends the power in utilizing client’s strengths to assist them sort out various life challenges to achieve their goals. Emphasizing the importance of identifying aspects of an individual’s life that impact their well-being, such as their environments, physical health and support systems in order to arrive at a life worth living.
Nanami Matsui, LPC, LAC
Licensed Professional Counselor
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Nanami Matsui, LPC, LAC is a licensed professional counselor who holds a Master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Denver in Counseling Psychology and Counseling Education. She is licensed in the states of Colorado and Hawaii. Nanami began her career working with survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault. She began working at a community mental health agency in Eagle County, Colorado and has remained there for the last 11 years. Nanami is experienced in working with crisis, court ordered treatments, and inmate populations. In the last several years, she has been providing individual therapy for adults, seniors and adolescents.
Nanami is trained in CBT, DBT, CPT, Solution- Focused therapy and EMDR. She is a person-centered therapist that is eclectic in her approach; she values the mind-body connection, encouraging her clients to take care of their bodies as well as their mental health. Nanami believes that building resiliency, hope, and working towards change are important in navigating life’s challenges. Nanami will help assist her clients in reaching their goals.
Timothy Wheeler, M.Ed, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Timothy Wheeler, M.Ed., LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor living in the Mountains of Colorado. Timothy was an Executive Chef, living on the Big Island of Hawaii, and Maui, helping to open restaurants for Peter Merriman and Roy Yamagucci. After a successful career in the restaurant business, he decided to return to his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, to pursue a degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Timothy’s undergraduate work and internship was in Marriage and Family Therapy, and this informs his passion for providing individual and family therapy for At-Risk Youth and their families. Timothy's career has included a very diverse clientele, having worked in School systems, Probation, Family Court, Social Services, Jail and Diversion programs, Sexual offenders and victims, Substance Use Disorder, LGBTQ+, and Domestic Violence populations.
Timothy is currently stationed at a pK-8 Elementary school that houses the School Districts Affective/Special Needs programs. He is Primary Therapist for this program, and this work takes him to many homes and schools in the Roaring Fork School District. Timothy uses a Person-centered Eclectic therapy approach, using several different modalities depending on the needs of the client. He is trained in and utilizes TF-CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative, Gestalt, Humanistic, Psychodynamic, and Family therapies. Timothy is hoping to relocate back to Hawaii in the next few years and be available for in-person Therapy.
Pre-licensed Professionals
Pre-licensed Professionals
Heidi Lahl. MFT, PCC
Marriage and Family Therapy Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Oahu office *
Heidi Lahl, MFT, PCC is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. She completed her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology at the Wright Institute and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Saint Mary’s College of Moraga. Heidi believes that we all deserve a safe space to process our experiences. She centers her work around self-compassion. She believes that only from a place of self-compassion can we feel grounded within ourselves enough to develop a compassionate relationship with others around us.
Heidi believes that deeper, sustained healing comes from exploring the root causes of suffering and untangling the patterns that keep individuals stuck on their healing journey. She believes that the process of therapy may feel difficult at moments, but that it is also often filled with creativity, relief, and discovery. Heidi’s approach is down-to-earth, warm, and practical. She believes that we are all on a healing journey and sees herself as a fellow traveler, exploring and discovering pockets of freedom and resilience alongside her clients. She uses a trauma-informed, culturally humble approach and utilizes attachment, psychodynamic, and somatic approaches to healing.
Sahiti Karumuri, MSEd, MPhil
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Oahu office *
Sahiti Karumuri, MSEd, MPhil is a trained pre-licensed professional counselor with a MPhil in Professional Counseling and a MSEd in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Pennsylvania. She also has a BS in Psychology from Texas A&M. She holds the credentials to become a licensed mental health school counselor and has experience working with children ages 6-18. In addition, she also has experience working with adults, parents and families of all ethnicities, socioeconomic status' and backgrounds. She believes clients deserve to be their happiest, healthiest and most empowered selves. She is deeply devoted to supporting individuals, couples and groups who seek healing and growth within their mind, body and relationships with themselves and with others. Through building an empathetic and trusting relationship, she strives to help clients find tools, strategies and techniques to unlock their true potential and understand themselves fully. She is committed to empowering those in marginalized communities and helping them find a voice. She specializes in working with people who prefer wellness and natural approaches to therapy, and those whose problems make them struggle with self-identity.
Sahiti believes that own narratives and emotions might present dysfunctional processes that leave us feeling stagnant in life and stuck in dysfunctional patterns of thinking, emotions and behavior. Through the use of a multicultural framework and a humanistic and psychodynamic approach, as well as a number of evidence based approaches, she strives to provide clients with the tools to further explore their relationships with themselves and others, and help clients find ways to have a happier and healthier life.
Daysi Cortes, MS, MHC
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Daysi Cortes, MS, MHC is a Licensed Associate Mental Health Counselor in the state of Iowa who received her Master's of Science Degree from Walden University in 2021. She moved to the state of Hawai'i in 2021 to complete her training hours towards licensure. Daysi acknowledges that life experiences can present many challenges that can have an impact on mental health, causing people to feel lost, empty and out of control of emotions that affect many areas of everyday life. Daysi places value in providing a safe, open, nonjudgemental, supportive space that encourages individuals to find their inner strengths, self-acceptance and to build new skills necessary for healing and coping with future challenges and building resilience. She believes that having clients tell their stories is an important part of healing, and she looks forward to listening and helping clients find a place of wellness, self-acceptance & healing.
Daysi works with diverse clients of all ages experiencing various mental health difficulties, including anxiety, depression, mood disorders, self-esteem, relationship issues, and more. She also has a passion for working with children and teens. Her passion for helping find wellness inspires her to stay informed and competent in treatment. As a therapist, Daysi hopes to provide guidance and help clients reconnect with their emotional wisdom by utilizing approaches that meet their unique needs. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person Centered, Mindful Meditation and Play Therapy.
Tyra S. Gardner, MS, MEd
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Tyra S. Gardner is a Psychotherapist and CEO of At A Moments Notice, LLC. Tyra is a passionate scholar-practitioner in the field of mental health, who divides her time between clinical practice, training and business consulting. In her clinical practice, she delivers cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based treatments to adults and adolescent clients with a range of emotional behavioral and adjustment problems including anger management, anxiety, stress, depression and relationship issues. She’s had the unique privilege of witnessing dramatic transformations in her clients by using her 20 years of experience and compassion in helping others cope with life challenges personally and professionally. Tyra’s mission is to help clients adapt to change and establish a work life balance, while coping with challenges. She regularly conducts workshops, seminars and webinars.
Tyra has provided expert advice to a number of national media outlets including Huffington Post, The Daily Mail, Askmen.com, Women's Health, TMZLive and more. Tyra holds a Bachelor degree in Psychology and three Master Degrees in Education, Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology. She is expected to complete a doctorate degree in Organization Development and Change in 2022.
Tom Kirkham, MA
Clinical Psychology Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Tom is a Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrative Health at Saybrook University. Tom also received his MA in Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology. Tom wrote his master's thesis on the therapeutic use of the circular art form known as mandalas. Tom earned his BA in Human Development at Prescott College. There he worked with the Prescott Unified School District to create recreation-based behavioral interventions for 8-10 year-olds
diagnosed with ADHD. In the following years, Tom supported overall wellness for people of all ages as a somatic therapist and holistic counselor. Tom integrates humanistic approaches to various therapeutic modalities in an open-ended framework.
Tom's modalities include client-centered therapy, Jungian approaches to clinical intervention, personal mythology and dream-work, motivational interviewing, hypnosis, therapeutic use of breath, energy, and movement, mandala drawing, therapeutic group facilitation, mindfulness-based clinical interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy, shamanic psychology, yoga psychology, somatic psychology, eco-psychology, meditation and therapeutic rite of passage experiences. Tom believes that each person has an innate ability to activate inner resources to support them in moving toward mental health and wholeness. Tom believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship to help clients to connect with their internal self-healing resources, including self-compassion, self-forgiveness, boundaries, and accountability.
Mariah Nichols, MA
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Meriah is a person-centered counselor who believes in the power of listening. She
believes that you know what’s best for yourself; she can help you figure out some
pieces and process through therapeutic tools. Meriah has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from UH-Hilo, a Master’s degree in International, Intercultural Management from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont, and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from UH-Hilo. She worked as a corporate trainer and HR specialist in Tokyo for half a decade before shifting to Career Development, managing a program at the UC Berkeley Career Center.
Meriah specializes in working with people who have an intersection with disability (-
autism, neurodiverse, Down syndrome, deaf, blind, intellectual, or developmental
disability, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, physical disability, chronic illness, mental
illness). “Intersection” with disability being either an acquired disability, disabled through
life, a child or loved one with a disability or dealing with recently acquiring a disability.
Meriah also enjoys working with neurotypicals, members of the LGBTQ+ community,
and people experiencing transitions (career, life, religion). She utilizes integrative
approaches. She uses expressive arts, DBT, ACT, psycho-education and person-
centered therapy.
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area but having grown up in Fiji (Levuka, Suva),
Hilo, Taiwan (Yu-Li), Macau, Japan (Fukuoka, Tokyo) and China (Guangzhou), Meriah
is very comfortable with cross-cultural and multi-cultural adaption issues and can help
with those specifically. She is proficient in Japanese and ASL and can “get by” in
Mandarin Chinese.
Sophia Bullard, MS
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Sophia Bullard, MS, studied at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, receiving her Bachelors of Science in Psychology in 2021 and her Masters of Science in Community and Trauma Counseling in May of 2022. Sophia is currently working towards the LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) credential in the state of Hawaii. Additionally, she has future goals of becoming a Registered Play Therapist and Certified Yoga Therapist.
Sophia understands that the therapeutic process is a collaborative journey between the client and the counselor. She utilizes therapeutic exercises from person-centered, evidence-based practices such as Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Gestalt Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Sophia’s clinical experience stems from working as a counseling intern at various public elementary and middle schools in the Greater Philadelphia area. Sophia enjoys working closely with her clients, parents, and families to create the best plan of support to children, adolescents, and families with complex treatment needs. In addition to her textbook clincal experience, Sophia believes that the inclusion of mindfulness practices, breathing exercises, and meditation can be extremely helpful to many clients.
Christin DeCoito, MA
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Christin DeCoito, received her Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology, with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UH Hilo. Her goal is to obtain her LMHC license in the state of Hawai'i in 2022. Christin is a School Based Behavioral Health Specialist who has worked with clients from Pre-K to young adults. In addition, she has also worked with parents, families, and elderly from a variety of socioeconomic areas and diverse ethnic backgrounds. Her experience stems from supporting clients and their families with trauma, anxiety, school based behavior issues, ADHD, autism, depression, and more.
Being born and raised on Hawai’i island, her passion for helping others comes from a culturally based background integrated with evidence based interventions to help clients reach their goals. Christin understands that asking for help and trusting others may be difficult, but she will be mindful, engaged, and grounded every step of the way. She is committed to help her clients rediscover their self-awareness and balance their total well-being.
Melissa St. Claire, MA, CHT
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Melissa’s experience in the healing arts spans over two decades. Early in her career as a bodyworker, she began to recognize the body-mind connection. She found that by bringing the body and mind together in conversation, her clients experienced wisdom, emotional freedom and ease from within.
Melissa trained intensely for over four years with Somatic Therapy pioneer, Ilana Rubenfeld and deepened her studies with Dr. Bessel Van der Koch and Peter Levine, PhD. Melissa is dedicated to providing a safe and supportive space for people to integrate body, mind, emotions and spirit, while
exploring new ways of thinking, feeling and living in their bodies.
Melissa received her Masters Degree in Professional Clinical Counseling from New Mexico Highlands University in 2019. She combines various comprehensive methodologies tailored
to each client. She believes all humans are resilient, adaptable and capable of change and is committed to supporting her clients in the process of healing and recovery while finding greater
self-awareness and life satisfaction.
Tupu Lawrence, MA
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Tupu Lawrence, MA, is a recent graduate with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wayland Baptist University. His goal is to obtain LMHC licensure in the state of Hawaii and continue to help his community. He has experience in helping individuals work through trauma, addictions, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. Tupu utilizes research-based modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) to help clients heal and work towards their goals.
Tupu is a US Army veteran with 3 combat tours and is no stranger to the challenges of PTSD, transitions, and military life. His passion for helping others increase their emotional resiliency derives from his own healing journey after separating from the military.
Samantha Bailo, MA
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Hilo office *
Samantha Bailo received her Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from The University of Hawai’i, Hilo in May 2022. She has worked with a variety of teens and young adults in a number of therapeutic settings as a case manager, a residential treatment center supervisor, and an interning Mental Health Counselor at UH Hilo. Currently, Samantha works at Pau Hana Counseling and the Hawai’i non-profit, Hale Kipa, which focuses on youth ages 5-17.
Samantha has a special interest in issues that pertain to the LGBTQ+ community and female sexuality, as well as spirituality and cultural issues. Mindfulness and meditation are two practices she often teaches clients due to their wide application and the effect these skills have had on her own life. Samantha speaks fluent Tongan and some Spanish. In therapy, Samantha takes a collaborative approach, believing that the client knows themselves best. She is here to walk alongside them on their journey and create space for them to explore what is important. Her practice is person-centered at its core while believing strongly in the impact that our environment has on our experiences. She gravitates toward practices that emphasize the skills and potential that the client already possesses.
Petra Parvati Meedt, MA, MS
Marriage and Family Therapy Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Petra Parvati Meedt, MA, MS is a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern offering telehealth therapy for individuals, couples, and families in English and Spanish. Additionally, to being a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern in Hawaii, she is a Licensed Psychologist in Puerto Rico, a Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA) in Texas, and a Clinical Hypnotherapist and certified Yoga Teacher. She is member of the American Psychological Association (APA), United States Association of Body Psychotherapy (USABP), and the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD).
Petra has more than 10 years of experience as a Counselor, Clinician, Facilitator, Teacher and Program Coordinator. She has worked with immigrant children and adolescents at a Transition Shelter in Texas, where she developed and supervised a Mindfulness Intervention Center. She has conducted support groups for women that have experienced domestic violence and sexual abuse and offered weekly group and individual therapeutic sessions within the context of Ecopsychology at a substance abuse rehabilitation center for homeless men. In collaboration with a religious institution, she has designed and coordinated a pilot program for adolescent mothers and their children to support mother-child bonding through therapeutic interventions, yoga, music, and art therapy. Her approach to therapy is integrative and person-centered, using evidence-based techniques from CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Mindfulness, Ecopsychology and Humanistic Psychology. In therapy, she offers a safe space and honors the autonomy and uniqueness of each person, supporting them to explore difficult emotions, challenges, extraordinary (and ordinary) experiences, dreams, and traumatic events to find within themselves the resources and resilience necessary for transformation, healing, and growth.
Matthew Johnson, MS
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Matthew Johnson, MS, is a Mental Health Counseling Intern who recently graduated with his Master's Degree in Professional Counseling from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi in the Spring of 2021. Matthew's focus is to help individuals, couples, and families in the community while obtaining his LMHC license in Hawaii. He utilizes approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, Person Centered, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and the up and coming concept of Geek Therapy.
Matthew hopes to be able to provide in-person counseling services as a fully licensed mental health counselor soon and has experience providing counseling services in group and individual settings for depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, and family/relationship issues. Knowing from personal experience that not all counseling approaches work for everyone, Matthew is ready and willing to work with clients to find the best way to help them through the healing process. Understanding that life can be traumatic, Matthew wants to provide a nonjudgmental place where the client can feel comfortable and safe enough to discuss and work through what is going on in their lives. He hopes to help clients recognize how they are processing the events they experience, and provide them with alternative/healthier ways of coping, in addition to teaching them new tools and skills.
Ki Eun Jeon, MA, MHC
Mental Health Counseling Prelicensed Professional
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health and in our Kona office *
KiEun Jeon, MS, MHC received a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. She is a counselor who is certified by the NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors) and now is working toward licensure in the state of Hawaii. Before she settled on the Big Island, she worked internationally for 20 years as a counseling trainer -- requiring competence in cross-cultural counseling, communication skills and spiritual direction. She is bi-lingual in English and Korean.
KiEun is a counselor who always has hope for her client and walks alongside them in their process of healing. Her approach is to create a safe environment by showing warmth, acceptance, empathy and respect without judgment. She provides a trusting therapeutic relationship by being present, reflecting genuine care and asking questions so that the client can recognize their own issues or problems. She encourages them to take ownership of the issues towards recovery, growth and healing of the whole person (mind, emotion, body, spirit and relational deficit). KiEun is trained and experienced in cross-cultural issues, conflict resolution, healthy relationship boundaries, healthy communication skills. She also worked in the areas of life transitions (especially cultural adjustment), grief, depression and anxiety, stress management techniques, blended families issues, trauma recovery support, wellness life skills and spiritual direction.
KiEun offers counseling to individual, couples and families and she mostly applies Emotion Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Existential Therapy, Solution - Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Sandplay Therapy.
Amma King, BS
Mental Health Counseling Intern
* Seeing clients via Tele-Health only *
Amma King, BS is currently completing a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo and anticipates graduating in Spring 2023. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising with minors in Visual Art and Business from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2005. Since that time, she has studied English, history, and psychology in Louisiana and Hawai’i. Amma has also worked as a clothing designer and textile artist and has taught these skills to others. Her interest in mental health began during her time as an undergraduate student, however it was her observation of societal influences on mental health and the work she did as a community organizer and educator that inspired her to pursue education in this area.
In addition to organizing and presenting culturally relevant programs on a community level, Amma has a background working with special education students in a public school setting and has experienced first-hand the mental health challenges young people face when their lives have been negatively impacted by various traumas and set-backs. Her interests lie primarily in multicultural issues that arise when a person’s experience and mental state are influenced by their cultural identity and socioeconomic circumstance. Where counseling is concerned, Amma enjoys topics related to self-esteem, multiculturalism, parenting, depression, racial identity, and anger management among others. As a creative, she recognizes the positive ways that art can enhance mental health. As a future counselor and someone striving for a healthy mind like many others, she appreciates therapies that take into account our capacity to control our thoughts while balancing our emotions and behaviors as a way to achieve better psychological outcomes.
Office Administrative Staff
Office Administrative Staff
Isaac Frazer, BA
Operations Manager of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC
Isaac Frazer, BA, obtained a double Bachelor's degree in both Biology and Fine Arts from the University of Hawaii-Manoa. He has an avid entrepreneurial spirit and has been involved in many start-up companies in the tourism, graphic design, and food industries. He has also worked for a local community newspaper and several local restaurants. He has a passion for helping small business succeed.
Isaac was born and raised on the Island of Hawai'i and has a deep love for his community. He became interested in helping Pau Hana Counseling, LLC in 2021. He is very invested in helping the residents of Hawai'i receive excellent and accessible mental health services and helping Pau Hana Counseling, LLC hire accomplished and talented clinicians. Isaac is valued at Pau Hana Counseling for his earnest and diligent work ethic and passion for helping others.
Stephen Wallace, BS
Practice Manager of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC
Stephen Wallace, BS graduated with his Bachelors of Science in Biology with an emphasis in Marine Biology. He has lived in Hilo, Hawai’i for twelve years. He has eight years of background in medical services and administration. He has extensive experience with all administrative tasks, including scheduling and correspondence that he brings to the team. Stephen began working for Pau Hana Counseling in 2021 and was promoted to Practice Manager in 2022. He is valued at Pau Hana Counseling for his attention to detail, his ability to learn quickly, and his kind and friendly nature.
Stephen is active in Brazilian Jujitsu and believes that his physical health correlates to improving his mental health. Stephen can speak fluently in Filipino (Tagalog) and has previously translated in a medical setting. While volunteering in the Philippines, Stephen developed a strong sense of devotion for the community who lacked mental health support and saw first hand the desperate need to improve the quality of mental health awareness in low-income areas. Stephen believes Hawai’i is a beautiful place for clients of Pau Hana Counseling to start their journey of healing.
Ian Wood , BS
Intake Specialist of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC
Ian Wood graduated with his Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan through an accelerated program that he completed in two years. Currently, he is pursuing his Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a focus on trauma recovery.
Ian has many years of professional experience in the mental health field. He has held several different positions with an emphasis on both patient care and administration with a variety of different client populations. Ian is very excited to serve on the administrative team and is eager to assist clients in obtaining our counseling services.
Kevin Deeds, BA
Managed Care Specialist of Pau Hana Counseling, LLC
Kevin Deeds, BA is a Substance Abuse Counselor with four years of clinical practice. He is registered as a CSAC candidate with Hawaii's Department of Alcohol and Drug Division, and is a NAADAC member. He plans to credential later this year and is exploring continued education in the healing arts with his eyes set on a MSW from the University of Hawaii-Manoa.
Kevin is passionate about advocating for clients and has a gift for Clinical Utilization Management; the art of establishing medical necessity to ensure clients are afforded the care they deserve. Kevin's work with managed care organizations in behavioral health began about five years ago while working as the Director of Admissions & Utilization Review for a residential substance abuse program on the Island of Hawaii. Kevin began going to school for clinical substance abuse counseling in 2018 and has since become well versed in direct client care, administration and management within the behavioral healthcare field.
Kevin is currently working with Pau Hana Counseling as a Managed Care Specialist, helping to bridge the gap between clinicians, insurance companies and clientele desiring to use services. He is detail oriented, driven and enjoys working within mental health on the Island of Hawaii. "Mental health is an underrepresented discipline on Hawai'i Island and it is an honor to be a part of something so vital for the well-being of our community." - Kevin