Hanako Baker

Hello! My name is Hanako Baker. I am a licensed clinical psychologist in Virginia and have a Psypact that allows me to practice virtually across 40+ Psypact participating states. I grew up in Japan and have lived in the U.S. for about two decades. I have a bachelor's in psychology from UC San Diego, a master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Rochester, and a doctorate in counseling psychology from Radford University. I am passionate about treating each client uniquely and learning about each client with humility and open-mindedness. I celebrate diversity of all kinds and want to create a safe space for all my clients.

I have extensive professional and personal experience in witnessing and learning about the challenges of autistic individuals. In many couples therapy cases that I worked with, there was an indication that one partner might be autistic; for them, an autism diagnosis might have opened a door for a better understanding of their communication challenges within a relationship. Many of my therapy clients also voiced their pondering about possibly being autistic without knowing where they could go to get tested. Having witnessed my family member struggle with not getting diagnosed earlier made me painfully aware of the importance of early diagnosis and that the chronic feeling of feeling there was something "wrong" with oneself could lead to hopelessness. My privilege of being neurotypical has humbled me, while I have often been in awe of the unique strengths and charm that come with neurodivergence. I joined Prosper Health to fill the service gap and provide accessible autism assessment to help those in pain find a sense of direction and validation for what they have experienced.

Many things are a double-edged sword. One's strength can cost them at times, depending on the context. My approach is to help clients find ways to appreciate and embrace their uniqueness as strength while also validating that some things might be more difficult for them in this neurotypical-centered society and maybe there are things they can learn to do differently to improve the quality of their life (e.g., minimize misunderstanding from others; minimize sensory triggers). As a minority, I understand how years of feeling "different" could affect one's identity. I want to empower everyone who has felt like a "misfit" to learn ways to love themselves. I hold a non-pathologizing view of mental health, honoring each client's unique story and ensuring that the client feels heard. I believe in the Japanese proverb, "Ichigo-Ichie," which means one should be mindful in every encounter regardless of whether the individual will cross paths again.