“Kuʻia kahele aka naʻau haʻahaʻa – “A humble person walks carefully so as not to harm others”
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Aloha! My name is Makana (pronouns they/them) and I am a Master’s Level Counselor in Massachusetts. I specialize in working with LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, particularly BIPOC.
I have a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Carleton College and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Northeastern University. I interned at Boston GLASS, a social services agency for LGBTQ+ youth of color. There I learned trauma-informed and specialized care for high-risk youth, and truly realized my passion for caring for marginalized and underserved communities.
While I specialize in working with LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, my Person Centered, Strength Based, and Solution Focused approach is applicable for all people. My style of counseling is collaborative and supportive. I like to brainstorm creative solutions to problems with my clients, and particularly enjoy celebrating their successes. I firmly believe that the capacity for change exists in all my clients, it just takes identifying the strengths they already have to achieve it.
As a multiracial and nonbinary person in psychology, I understand how difficult it is to find a counselor who is able to understand the worldviews and unique needs of diverse populations. It’s why I strive every day to learn more to be the best counselor I can be.
I spend my spare time reading, writing, cooking, and watching reality competition shows. I try to go home to Maui as often as possible, where I like to read on the beach and swim in the ocean.
Currently Makana sees Cigna insured, private pay, and Open Path clients only.