HOOL, Renata Arena
Hi — I’m Renata, a therapist currently based in Osaka, Japan, offering counseling to adolescents, adults, and families.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston. My training was grounded in an ecological and multicultural framework, which means I was taught to understand people not in isolation, but within the broader context of their relationships, family systems, culture, and lived environments. This perspective continues to shape how I work with clients today.
As part of my clinical training, I completed an internship at the Italian Home for Children in Boston, within their therapeutic after-school program. There, I worked closely with children in a structured yet relational setting, supporting emotional regulation, behavioral challenges, and social-emotional development while collaborating with families and staff. I later worked as a school-based clinician with North Range Behavioral Health in Colorado, providing mental health services within a middle school setting. In this role, I supported students and families navigating trauma, depression, anxiety, and family stress, while working collaboratively with caregivers and school staff to ensure consistent and meaningful care.
My therapeutic style is person-centered and Rogerian at its core. I believe therapy is about accompanying someone on their journey, and that clients are the experts in their own lives, while also taking a solution-based approach. I aim to offer a space defined by empathy, authenticity, and safety — where clients feel seen, respected, and free to explore at their own pace.
I have experience working with:
- Trauma and its emotional and relational impact
- Depression and low mood
- Anxiety, worry, and emotional overwhelm
- Life transitions, identity exploration, and relational challenges.
Rather than imposing solutions, I work collaboratively with clients to help them reconnect with their own insight, resilience, and inner resources.