Meet Ingrid Nishimoto, LCSW
It’s time to re-claim your story and your body.
Holistic Therapy for BIPOC Women in Granada Hills, Northridge, and across CA
You’re here because you feel caught between two worlds…
You’re barely holding it together in your new dream job, scarcely believing they trust you to be responsible.You’ve been taught to be humble your whole life, and you have to be the expert in the room. How?
You’re feeling overwhelmed with a crushing genetic cancer risk diagnosis and having to decide about prophylactic surgeries.How do you choose between managing your risk and planning for an unknown future?
You’re nervous about dating again and re-evaluating what it means to chart your unique path so you can truly flourish in your relationship. 
You’re realizing that you can’t keep your legs split in both worlds and you need to choose –
complying with your parents’ demands
OR
moving forward with the life you long to build.
Hello, and welcome!
I’m Ingrid.
In our sessions, I will create and hold a safe space for you to be present with all parts of yourself (especially the parts you want to ignore or disinherit). Here’s what that looks like…
Therapy with me IS:
A space to slow down, listen deeply and face the messiness of life
Curated tools and resources to make you breathe a little easier
Excavating deeply held but easily confused core beliefs
Inviting you to notice your sensations and befriend your body
Bearing compassionate witness together to your heartaches
Space to reprocess with EMDR those painful moments you’d rather forget
Therapy with me ISN’T:
Easy answers
Rushing to get through the hard feelings
Just symptom management
Pressure to arrive at wholeness
Always comfortable, but it is orienting towards your wisdom
What you get from ChatGPT: you get a human showing up as her full self, being attuned to the intricacies of your face, tone and body language, so you experience true connection and felt safety
Let’s move together from sacrificing your body to waking up for a day you’re excited to discover.
Curious to give it a whirl?
Here’s what you can expect:
Compassionate Curiosity
Every action and feeling comes from somewhere–a narrative that worked for a long time. What does it feel like to be you, and what does it feel like to revise the script?
Bodily Wisdom
Start listening to what’s always been there. We will attune to bodily sensations and movements, and notice how they’re speaking to you.
Respect for every story
Whatever you’ve done (or not done), wherever you come from, you’re welcome here. You matter and are worth attending to.
Hope
However bleak it feels, I will always hold a candle of hope for you.
Creativity and Imagination
I weave in movie scenes, poetry, and book references to expand your scope for imagining other worlds.
Speaking the truth
If I see you continuing in actions, thoughts and beliefs holding you back, I will gently but firmly call you out.
Why trust me with your valuable time and story?
You’ve asked ChatGPT, but you haven’t gotten the deeper answers you really need.
You’ve listened to the influencers and learned some helpful coping skills, but you still haven’t experienced the lasting change you’re seeking.
You’ve talked to your friends, but they don’t quite get you in this unique season.
You’ve had therapy before, which helped some, but it didn’t quite scratch the itch you’re feeling.
You might have insight, but it doesn’t always translate to consistent behavior change. Or you change behaviors, but your emotions aren’t always aligned, and you feel fragmented.
Having experienced profound losses related to health, family, and religion, I hold a unique space for those carrying catastrophic experiences.While the specifics may differ, I understand the experience of feeling confused, frustrated, and angry at our systems, leaders and ancestors for their well-intended, but inadequate guidance.
I know that dizzying feeling of having my world upended and having to re-orient and re-organize the pieces.
Sometimes, the grief is so loud, it’s unspeakable. You don’t always need to have the right words. Sometimes, just being in the same space together is a tonic.
I’ve been honored to traverse a wide variety of emotional landscapes with clients for ten years–the lows, the highs, and everything in between.
No emotion is too big or too small to escape attention and care – it all matters, because you matter.
A glimpse into my world…
In my slower moments –I love hiking and exploring throughout SoCal, journaling, writing poetry, reading books (memoirs, end-of-life, health) and cherishing time with loved ones.
People who speak to my soul include –Sarah Kay, Jon Batiste, Suleika Jaouad, Padraig O Tuama, Ada Limon, Trevor Noah, Jesus and John the Apostle.
As a Korean-American –I am pleasantly surprised at the recent proliferation of movies centering Asian-American/immigrant experiences, eg. Columbus and Past Lives, and captivated by their stories. I’ve had a lifelong fascination with climbers, and love watching climbing movies to challenge me to adventure and live beyond my seen world.
Favorite eats:farm-to-table is my jam
Favorite eats:farm-to-table is my jam
Drink of choice:soothing barley tea
Drink of choice:soothing barley tea
Inspired by:people who dream and live into new worlds
Inspired by:people who dream and live into new worlds
Daily ritual:morning workouts, evening cuddles with my dog Mochi
Daily ritual:morning workouts, evening cuddles with my dog Mochi
Where I’ve been:hiking and camping in the Narrows River in Zion National Park. Mind-blowingly stunning.
Where I’ve been:hiking and camping in the Narrows River in Zion National Park. Mind-blowingly stunning.
One day I want to:explore glaciers in Iceland and see the Northern Lights
Where I want to go:kayaking in Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska
Where I want to go:kayaking in Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska
One day I want to:explore glaciers in Iceland and see the Northern Lights
My Background & Credentials
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Licensed Clinical Social Worker, CA: LCSW #102145
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Master of Social Work, Cal State Fullerton
Diploma in Christian Studies, Regent College
Bachelor of Arts in Bible/Theology, Biola University
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Certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP)
Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)
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California Society for Clinical Social Work
National Association of Social Work
EMDRIA
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You’re used to carrying the mental load for everyone around you.
Let’s carry it together.Schedule your confidential 20-minute call with me today, and feel the relief of dedicated time for yourself. You deserve this.
