About Shoko White

I was raised, educated, and employed in Japan where I spent the first half of my life. I attended Keio University in Tokyo and obtained BA in educational philosophy where I developed the belief that human development is a creative and generative process like art. Yes, I love art and have maintained this notion of human development. My first oversea trip to Western Europe to trace art history opened my eyes and my world. For many years I worked at Waseda University where my main job was to follow the pioneers of globalization in higher education and to develop international study programs. I was lucky to travel in Asia, Europe, and the United States during that time.

Outside of my full-time job, I participated in a group of people who pursued individual internal development and applied arts (movement, storytelling, vocalization, reciting poetry, and free-playing with hand-made toys) to help children with Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. The group founder was an artist and a healer who studied in Germany and Switzerland for a decade. This grew my interest in the helping profession. During this time, I intensively read books by Carl Jung and other Jungian analysts who inspired me to listen to my soul’s voice.

My new life began when I relocated to Portland, Oregon in the early 2000s and enrolled in Marylhurst University to study art therapy, obtaining an MA in Art Therapy Counseling in 2006. I have served a wide range of populations including children, teens, adults, and elderly clients in order to better understand the developmental stages of the human condition as well as American people. Providing art therapy for a geriatric population helped me understand the potency of an individual’s unique life stories, their existential difficulties, and inherent human dignity, which are universal. Volunteering at a community mental health organization, I learned counseling skills, meeting with people in younger generations who suffered from anxiety, traumatic life events, and interpersonal difficulties.

During these formative years as a counselor, I learned not only psychological and therapeutic theories and actual interventions, but also about myself: understanding my patterns of thinking, emotional and behavioral patterns, communication style, implicit biases, and habitual reactions to people’s comments and behaviors. This is crucial to serve others and all was eye-opening. Searching for self is like a spiritual journey. My discovery continues through my interaction with the wider world, our current cultural conditions, and my own relationships.

I became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Oregon in May 2012 and a Board Certified Art Therapist in August 2013. I have additional training in the fields of Trauma-Informed Care, Treatment for Complex PTSD, Anxiety Treatment, EMDR, and ADHD. I believe that therapy is not merely helping to mitigate my clients’ presenting symptoms but also encouraging them reflect on what shaped their current perceptions and identity and supporting them be open to personal growth. Change may not be immediately obvious, but I have deep faith that invisible internal growth or rejuvenation is happening.