This fall, Cindy Taketa became the third fulltime counselor at UPrep, which gives our community an even greater capacity to anticipate and respond to student needs.  For the last 20 years, Cindy has been providing mental health services to Seattle-area residents in a variety of settings, including Wellspring Family Services and Seattle Children’s Hospital. Her north star has always been to provide exceptional therapeutic care to children, adolescents, and families.

Why did you become a counselor?

My interest in mental health comes from my own personal experience. When I was in high school, my mother went through a major medical crisis. She lost a three-year battle to cancer. This experience sent me on the path to explore psychology and healing modalities, which was an invaluable education that eventually turned into a career of helping others.

What do you love about being a counselor?

I love the relationship building. A misconception about counseling is that our role is to fix the situation or tell people what to do to make it all better. Actually, counseling is an approach to be educative and encouraging of people’s own well-being, which we all cultivate throughout our lifetimes. For students, I love witnessing their resilience and wins, both big and small.

What do you hope students learn about managing their mental health during their time at UPrep?

There is this saying that “what you practice grows stronger.” I think the 2022–2023 school year is a pivotal time for being hopeful about the future. Hope is a muscle we can begin practicing again.

What brought you to UPrep?

I’ve been working on the craft of therapy and clinical leadership for the last 20 years and the pandemic was a great time for self-reflection. What do I value? Where do I want to grow? Is there a greater impact I can be making? I’d always been curious about the educational setting, and, as synchronicity happens, I heard about the third counselor position here. I was immediately impressed by UPrep’s investment in mental health care and the quality of care available to students here. 

Tell me how the UPrep Counseling Department works with students and their families.

Counseling is embedded in many aspects that support students and their families. First and foremost, we offer supportive counseling to the students throughout the school day. Students gain support around issues such as stress, friendship issues, school performance, and, generally, all the feels and social situations students are navigating all day long. We are available to parents and guardians when there is a concern for their child, or when they want to collaborate about their child’s development. Sometimes, events in the family or personal lives of our students happen unexpectedly, and we can then provide support to students. We also provide programming that supports students and parents/guardians in the areas of social emotional learning. We are present at events that happen outside of the daily school experience, too, where we are part of joyous moments, such as at dances and retreats.

How do you ease people’s trepidation about working with a counselor?

I understand the hesitation can be about being new to the experience, a past bad experience, or the stigma that goes with seeking help. I often share that people are resilient and try as hard as they can to solve their own problems, but they may not have the objectivity that counseling can bring, as well as a connection to resources, if warranted. I also think there are fears associated with counseling, like thinking it doesn’t work for everybody. But, for most people, it can bring a lot of relief and benefits. I also want to emphasize that the pandemic is a natural disaster that has impacted us societally, and we have never experienced a pandemic before. I think asking for support to cope during these times has become more acceptable.

How do you explain taking care of mental health to students?

What I really appreciate about UPrep is that there is a lot of information for students about health. Students are picking up skills for healthy coping and mental health is one domain of our well-being that make up the whole self. I find students to be savvy and informed about mental health issues and they are realistically concerned for their social-emotional well-being.

Our theme this year is belonging. How do you think communities foster a sense of belonging?

As a social worker by training, I love this theme. We are social creatures. We don’t fare so well when we feel alone, isolated, or alienated. To me, belonging is a recognition and acknowledgment that all members are valued. I also believe we all have a role in building a community.  I don’t think that means that everyone must agree because conflict is inevitable. Still, I believe social engagement can be incredibly meaningful, and people are capable of much more when they come together through social engagement. I also have an office mascot: a pineapple stuffy named Percy that students helped me name. The pineapple is a symbol for hospitality in some cultures. Being welcoming is very important to me.

Tell me about your “do one thing” mantra.

My mantra for this year is to do one thing a day that promotes intentional well-being. I like to practice what I preach about good coping skills and mindfulness. And I love a mantra! For example, my answer for today would be: “I took a few minutes for myself by stopping for a latte on the way to work.”

What do you do to unwind?

My top choices for unwinding are hanging out with my husband, walking my dog, Stella, going out for Sunday brunch, and being crafty. I dabble in all mediums: painting, collage, sewing, and jewelry making.

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