A smiling woman with short dark hair, wearing a light gray T-shirt, jewelry, and dark pants, sitting cross-legged on a gray tufted sofa in a room with a light-colored wall and a mirror

Mizuho "Miho" Kanazawa LCAT, BCT/RDT, LPC

Licensed Creative Arts Therapist · Drama Therapist · Licensed Professional Counselor

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Hello, I’m Mizuho (My nickname is Miho).

For more than 27 years, I have had the privilege of sitting beside people as they navigate some of the most meaningful—and sometimes most difficult—chapters of their lives.

What continues to inspire me after all these years is simple: being with people as they are. I feel deeply honored when someone trusts me with their story. I listen, I witness, and I try to create a space where you don't have to be anyone other than yourself.

Over the years, I have watched clients find their voices, reconnect with parts of themselves, heal relationships, take new risks, and discover possibilities they couldn't see before. Being able to witness these transformations is what continues to fuel my work. I feel genuinely grateful—and often excited—to be part of someone's growth journey.

My own story

My life in the United States began when I came here as an international student. Living in a culture different from my own shaped me in ways I could not have anticipated at the time. I learned what it feels like to navigate between languages, cultures, expectations, and different ways of understanding relationships and belonging.

Perhaps because of this experience, I have always been drawn to people who live between worlds—people who may feel that they don't fit neatly into one culture, one identity, or one way of being.

Today, I am also a partner and a mother of two. My family has taught me, in very real and sometimes humbling ways, that relationships are never static. We continue to grow, change, misunderstand one another, repair, laugh, and find our way back to each other and to ourselves

And yes, I drink green tea every morning. 🍵

That small ritual is one of the ways I remind myself to slow down and arrive in the present moment—something I encourage my clients to do as well.

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My belief and mission

As multicultural individuals, you carry resilience, depth, and a unique richness. Yet, in the midst of life’s demands, it’s common to feel there’s no safe space to share your story, explore your experiences, or reflect on your life without judgment.

These moments can leave us feeling small, unseen, or ashamed.

I honor the journey you’ve taken to understand and nurture yourself.

My mission is to create a supportive, growth-focused space where you can feel safe to explore your thoughts and emotions, connect with your strengths, and begin to cultivate patterns that bring confidence, clarity, creativity, and joy into your life.

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Qualifications

I combine humanistic and embodied therapy approaches, such as:

These approaches help you explore your feelings, strengthen relationships, and connect more deeply with yourself.

Licenses & Credentials

New York State Licensed Psychotherapist · Creative Arts Therapist

Pennsylvania State Licensed Professional Counselor

New Jersey State Licensed Professional Counselor

Board Certified Trainer / Registered Drama Therapist, North American Association of Drama Therapy

Education

B.A. in Psychology, The New School University
M.A. in Drama Therapy, New York University

Personal Life

Married
Mother of Two
Drinks green tea every morning :)


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Creative & Teaching Experience

Professional Improvisational Theater Trainer / Actor / Director
https://www.nyspt.org/

Trainer for NYU Playback Theater Club
https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/programs/drama-therapy/student-experience

Lecturer and Trainer in Somatic Experiential Psychotherapy for Master's-level counselor training programs and international conferences https://acreativepresence.com/

Certified Infant Massage Educator, Infant Massage USA


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Work Experience

  • Private Practice in New York and New Jersey since 2004

  • Child Life Specialist and Drama Therapist at Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ

  • Drama Therapist / Psychotherapist at NY Staten Island St. Vincent Hospital Day Treatment Program for the mentally ill (adolescents, adults, elderly)


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I Believe —

  • Humor is healing

  • Blaming leads nowhere

  • The body has a connection with the mind

  • Our life manifests and blossoms from a sense of freedom, acceptance, and joy—not from fear.

"
Miho taught me how to praise my children effectively. I felt she understood my struggle and it was so great that I stopped blaming myself for my children's negative behavior.  Our relationship (My daughter and I) is better now because of the work I did with her.  

— Satisfied client (Mother of a 6 year old)