Aya Okumura, LCSW

Aya Okumura is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with more than 20 years of professional experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, grief, self-esteem concerns, depression, and life transitions. She combines empathy and practical guidance to help individuals build motivation, strengthen confidence, and find sustainable coping strategies tailored to their circumstances.

Licensed in both California and Hawaii, Aya works with a wide range of issues including caregiver stress, cancer-related concerns, hospice and end-of-life counseling, HIV/AIDS, isolation and loneliness, panic and mood disorders, post-traumatic stress, and workplace or communication problems. She brings a multicultural perspective to her practice and often addresses women's issues, midlife challenges, social anxiety, and relationship or family stressors.

Aya emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion in every session and creates individualized treatment plans that reflect each person’s needs and goals. She views the decision to begin therapy as a courageous step and offers steady support throughout the process. Aya does not provide official documentation for disability, Social Security, FMLA, court, parole, or employer purposes.

Approaches and online care tailored to your needs

Aya uses client-centered therapy to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the client's values and goals guide the work - this approach helps with self-esteem, life transitions, grief, and emotional processing. Motivational interviewing is applied when someone is feeling ambivalent about change; it focuses on strengthening personal motivation and commitment to practical steps toward recovery or improved well-being. Narrative therapy helps clients explore and reframe the stories they tell about themselves and their experiences, which can be useful for addressing identity, trauma, and cultural or relational concerns.

Deciding which approach fits best is part of the collaborative process. Aya works with each person to identify goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, adjusting methods over time as needs evolve.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for busy schedules, caregiving responsibilities, travel, or geographic distance. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care and to access therapy from locations where in-person options may be limited, while allowing licensed professionals to tailor sessions to each person’s situation.