Kristina Shimokawa, IFS Therapy in California

Professional Background

Education, License & Certifications

San Francisco State University
Bachelors of Science in Sociology

USF Masters in Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy Emphasis

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Hawaii and California

Other Training

Level 1 IFS

Level 2 IFS Intimacy from the Inside Out

Ketamine Assisted Therapy Training and Certification 

Level 1 Brainspotting Training

I grew up in San Francisco in a bi-racial, multicultural household. I attended San Francisco State University and University of San Francisco. Upon graduation from my masters program, life took an unplanned yet beautiful turn towards moving to Maui where my husband was raised and where we currently reside with our two, very active children. In Hawaii, I continued my post-graduate experience working as a school therapist in the public school system and started in private practice in 2020. I continue to learn and grow in this profession and in my spare time, I love going to restaurants and trying new dishes. I try to move my body in any form (walks, hikes, running, strength training) and love to travel to see family and friends or explore new places, cultures, and foods.

My Approach

My approach to therapy is collaborative and relational, and also systemically and somatically informed. I always consider the external systems (family, friends, intimate partnerships, etc) that have impacted our lives, understanding our own internal dynamics that exist within us that inform how we operate in the world. I also incorporate brain based/somatic approaches with IFS to support the reprocessing of past trauma and other woundings so we can have deeper and fulfilling connections with ourselves and others. I’m not the most “advice” or “homework”-giving therapist but do discuss ways to practice IFS/regulation outside of sessions if needed.

All of this is held together by having boundaries, trust and safety, while holding your experience non-judgmentally and with deep compassion. I make every attempt to ensure clear communication, consistent presence, and attunement to your experience and needs. And just like any relationship, needs change in therapy, so having a collaborative discussion about what feels important is an essential ongoing approach. Clients have shared with me that they feel comfortable and safe expressing themselves with me.

I specialize in working with folks who experience challenges with anxiety, life transitions, postpartum concerns, attachment/relational wounds, and boundary setting. In the past few years, I’ve started working more with folks who are wanting deeper relationships with themselves and others; particularly those wanting intimate relationships. My primary modality is IFS though I integrate some Brainspotting as well.

My Journey

I believe some of us start out in life being our family of origin’s therapist; becoming parentified and being others' emotional caretakers. And yet through my experiences in youth and young adulthood, I learned that these “survival skills” of emotional caretaking of others could be transformed into a service for others. With the right mix of my own healing journey, formal education and training, and continued openness towards personal and professional growth, I have learned my job as a therapist is not to emotionally caretake, but to be present with another person’s true lived experience with the utmost compassion, and to help them find their internal resources for healing.

IFS found me in 2016 at a work training and it absolutely transformed my life in every way. In my personal use of the model, I have been able to heal past wounds and find ways to regulate myself through daily stressors and life’s more challenging moments. This has transformed me from being a “talk therapist” to becoming an IFS therapist, where deeper lasting change is possible. I’m eternally grateful that IFS is a part of my life personally and professionally, and so honored to be a part of the IFS Telehealth Collective.

Fun Fact About Me:

I sang the National Anthem at a San Francisco Giants game and I lived in Japan for three years as a toddler.