Welcome Message

Wakako Nakano

Licensed Clinical Psychologist / Certified Public Psychologist

Profile

Wakako Nakano holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the Graduate School of Humanities, Gakushuin University.

Before beginning her clinical career, she worked for about 10 years in sales at both Japanese and international corporations.
She has since gained clinical experience in psychosomatic medicine clinics and at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Health Services Office.
Currently, she is engaged in clinical research on PTSD, stress-related disorders, and eating disorders.
She offers multilingual psychological support to individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Message from the Director

Throughout my career, I have worked with a wide range of individuals—those navigating the challenges of the workplace, survivors of domestic violence and crime, and individuals struggling with eating disorders.

Our daily lives are often filled with stress, and without a stable and safe foundation, it is easy to become overwhelmed.
Many of those who come to us for mental health support are incredibly hard-working. Often, they push themselves alone until they reach their limit.

Once mental health begins to deteriorate, it can take time to recover day-to-day functioning.
But I believe this also presents a meaningful opportunity—one where we can work together to find sustainable ways to prevent relapse and build a more resilient foundation for well-being.

My own professional journey began in a company where shouting and scolding were routine.
At the time, developmental disorders like ADHD were not widely recognized in Japan, and I attributed frequent clerical errors to a personal lack of effort. Looking back, those were classic ADHD traits.

Amidst constant verbal reprimands from my supervisors, I could feel my self-worth gradually eroding.
During that period, I also saw people close to me suffer—and some, heartbreakingly, lost their lives.

As one of the few Christians in Japan, I have also experienced life as a minority.
Seeing the world from this perspective has made me deeply aware of the subtle differences between what is “normal” for the majority and what it means to be different.

These experiences are what led me to establish Counseling Office INSIGHTIA.

The name “INSIGHTIA” is inspired by the word insight—a place for deep reflection.
We aim to create a safe, inclusive space, regardless of your background.

No matter your religion, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation,
I hope to offer support that helps each person live with greater ease and authenticity.

— Wakako Nakano

Professional Affiliations

• Japanese Society of Transcultural Psychiatry

• Japanese Society for Traumatic Stress Studies

• Japanese Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies

Other Affiliations

• Research Fellow, Department of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Japan

Presentations and Publications

• “Approaching Eating Disorders with CBT-E: Perspectives from Multilingual Clinical Practice” Wakako Nakano, 31st Annual Conference of the Japanese Society of Transcultural Psychiatry, November 2024

• “The Psychological Impact of Immigration Detention on Undocumented Individuals”
  Wakako Nakano, 30th Annual Conference of the Japanese Society of Transcultural Psychiatry, November 2023

• “A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Memantine for PTSD: Study Protocol”
  Shintaro Ogawa, Hiroaki Hori, Keiko Ino, Mizu Narita, Madoka Niwa, Megumi Narita, Wakako Nakano, Haruaki Kaneyoshi
  Japanese Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, 2023 Annual Meeting

• “Online Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Examining Safety, Preliminary Effects, and the Establishment of a Collaborative Care Model”
  Keiko Ino, Satomi Nakashima, Yuko Toshige, Fusuke Suga, Atsumi Fujinai, Wakako Nakano, Haruaki Kaneyoshi
  22nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, July 2023

• “Adapted CBT for Two Cases of Bulimia Nervosa with Depression and Psychosocial Issues”
  Misako Semba, Chisato Obara, Megumi Narita, Wakako Nakano, Shintaro Ogawa, Tetsuya Ando, Keiko Ino, Atsushi Sekiguchi
  22nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, October 2022

Book Translation

• Treatment Manual for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Exposure and Ritual Prevention – Therapist Guide and Workbook (2nd Ed.)Foa, E. B., Yardin, E., & Richner, T. K. (2024). Supervised translation by Hisato Matsunaga, Tomohiro Nakao, Haruaki Kaneyoshi. Translation assistance: Yuki Kobayashi, Satsuki Koike, Wakako NakanoKongo Publishing, Japan.