BIOGRAPHY

Mia Makino

Counselor

Mia is a compassionate counselor with a diverse international background, committed to supporting children, adolescents, and adults as they navigate life’s challenges with empathy and cultural sensitivity. She takes a holistic approach, using evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy, tailoring her methods to each client's unique needs. Mia creates a safe, non-judgmental space where individuals feel empowered to explore their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, fostering self-awareness, resilience, and positive change.


BIOGRAPHY

Mia's multicultural upbringing and extensive international experience uniquely position her to support individuals and couples from diverse cultural backgrounds. With experience living and working in Asia, Europe, and the USA, Mia has developed a deep cultural awareness that profoundly influences her counseling approach. She understands the complexities and nuances associated with navigating different cultural identities.


Mia’s counseling approach is deeply personalized. She recognizes the uniqueness of each individual and draws from a wide range of evidence-based therapeutic modalities to tailor her methods to meet the specific needs of her clients. Whether she is working with individuals or couples, Mia is dedicated to providing compassionate, culturally sensitive care that fosters personal growth, resilience, and well-being.


Mia holds a degree in biology and has worked in the neurological field. This background fuels her interest in the intricate connection between the body and mental health. Mia is particularly attuned to how physiological factors can influence psychological well-being, and she integrates this understanding into her therapeutic practice. By considering the interplay between the mind and body, Mia offers a holistic approach to mental health, helping clients explore how their physical health impacts their emotional and mental states.


Mia is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where clients feel empowered to explore their concerns and achieve meaningful change. Her ultimate goal is to help clients build resilience, gain insight, and lead more fulfilling lives.         

Qualifications

  • Master of Counseling, Monash University
  • Graduate Certificate in Counseling, Monash University
  • Bachelor of Arts in Biology, University of California, Riverside
  • Certificate in Suicidology, Suicidology Australia
  • Certificate in Neuroaffirming Practice in Working with Autistic Clients, Australian College of Applied Psychology

Expertise

  • Anger Management
  • Anxiety
  • Burnout/Stress
  • Career Counseling
  • Compulsion
  • Depression
  • Expat Counseling
  • Family Counseling
  • Loss and Grief 
  • LGBTQIA+ Counseling
  • Perfectionism
  • Postpartum Mental Health
  • Third Culture Kid Counseling
  • Trauma

Counseling Perspective

Client Testimonials

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From our very first session, I felt an immediate connection with Mia. She didn’t just listen; she truly understood. She recognized the cultural nuances of being bicultural, as well as the complexities of navigating the duality between two distinct cultural frameworks"

Anonymous
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Mia’s unique perspective allowed her to address not only the symptoms of my ADHD and burnout but also the self-doubt that has been holding me back for so long.  Mia’s approach to therapy wasn’t just about the symptoms; it was about empowering me to embrace who I am

Anonymous

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I had several counselling sessions with Mia over a period of a few months. I was struggling with different issues and Mia provided a listening ear to help me sound out some of the unspoken expectations, assumptions and underlying beliefs that contributed to my issues. Mia also shared helpful frameworks for me to run through to bring forth my thoughts and feelings in an organised manner, and help me think through why I wrote down these responses. With her support, I stabilised my feelings and learnt how to reframe my responses to be more encouraging and supportive of myself. I'm very grateful to have met Mia and been counselled by her, and am confident that her future clients will be assured and well supported by her listening ear.

Anonymous