Individual Counseling with Miki Darby, LCSW
Do you feel overwhelmed by racing thoughts, restless energy, or social anxiety? Living with ADHD, ASD, anxiety, or social challenges can be exhausting and isolating. You don’t have to struggle alone.
My practice focuses on providing counseling support for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), depression, anxiety, social skills, and cultural adjustments. My approach is built on connection, humor, compassion, and honesty to help clients make meaningful progress. In therapy, we will collaborate to focus on symptom relief and skill-building for long-term growth.
Neurodiversity by itself is not a flaw that needs to be fixed, and I thrive to foster the individual persons’ distinctive sets of strengths. At the same time, this form of human diversity can be disabling, to some a great degree, especially when social/relationship challenges are experienced.
I provide individual counseling, social communication skills training, and performance enhancement support for youth and young adults aged 12 and older. As a certified provider of the UCLA PEERS® for Adolescents program, I incorporate this evidence-based approach to address each client’s unique challenges and goals.
All gender-variant individuals are welcome.
Services are provided in person in an office located in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Virtual appointments are also available for Oregon residents.
*Cocoro (or Kokoro) means mind, heart, spirit, and soul in Japanese language.
About the Practice
Services
Individual Counseling
In a comfortable, private one-on-one setting, many different important issues are explored, including expression of thoughts and emotions, behavior patterns, conflict resolution, and problem solving. This is a joint process between client and counselor.
Social Communication Skills Training
Utilizing the UCLA PEERS® for Adolescents curriculum, social communication skills training is provided at an individualized pace.
It helps individuals get equipped with the tools needed to cope with the problems more appropriately and effectively. Counseling can be an addition to your support network, to help gain better understanding of self, learn how to handle emotions, identify the underlying causes of the symptoms, improve symptoms management & relationship management skills, and develop some coping strategies.
What Does Counseling Do?
What is Neurodiversity Affirming Care?
Neurodivergence
The term “neurodivergent” refers to individuals whose brain differences affect how their brain functions. These differences can result in unique strengths and challenges compared to individuals whose brains function more typically. Neurodivergence is not a medical term; rather, it is a way to describe people without using terms like “normal” or “abnormal.” This distinction is important because there is no universal definition of what is “normal” for how the human brain works. Conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and other learning disorders are common examples of neurodivergence.
Affirming
“Affirming” involves encouraging individuals to view their neurodivergence as a positive and valuable aspect of their identity. In my counseling practice, I apply an affirming lens when working with LGBTQIA+ individuals, people of color, individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, and in various other contexts. This approach emphasizes recognizing and embracing aspects of a person’s identity while maintaining awareness of these elements throughout the therapeutic process.
Counseling is a collaborative partnership between the client and the counselor. Professional counselors assist clients in identifying goals and finding potential solutions to challenges that cause emotional distress. They work to enhance communication and coping skills, build self-esteem, foster behavior change, and support optimal mental health and well-being.
For more information on Neurodivergence, here is a great article from Very Well Mind: What Does It Mean to be Neurodivergent?
Human Neurodiversity Should Be Celebrated, Not Treated as a Disorder | Op-Ed | NowThis
Devon MacEachron, PhD; Psychologist
My Expertise
Social communication skills development
Stress Management
Depression
Anxiety
Self Esteem
Identity
Cultural Adjustment
About Me
My name is Miki Darby, and I am a neurodivergent therapist with over 20 years of experience providing mental health support to diverse populations in Japan, New York City, Chicago, and Portland. My approach is person-centered, psychodynamic, and strength-based, grounded in the belief that a strong, trusting relationship between client and provider is essential for meaningful and effective treatment.
I have a multicultural background, born and raised in Japan, with additional time spent in the U.S. during both my childhood and much of my adulthood. I am fluent in both English and Japanese, giving me firsthand experience navigating the complexities of cultural adjustment. Currently, I work as a high school counselor, supporting students in the school’s dormitory program, many of whom come from abroad.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Waseda University in Tokyo and a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University in New York. My professional experience spans diverse settings, including schools, medical hospitals, clinics, and courtrooms. I have worked with individuals of all ages—from newborns to the elderly—and have experience in foster care, adoption, homelessness, addiction, and psychiatric crisis intervention (for both youth and adults).
During my free time, I like to listen to music, sew, craft, learn, organize, and take nature walks
with my family. I am married with two daughters, and live with a dog & a cat.
Qualification & Certifications:
*Oregon State Licensed Clinical Social Worker
*UCLA PEERS® for Adolescents
*ADHD-CCSP (ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider)
*ASDCS (Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist)
早稲田大学卒
コロンビア大学ソーシャルワーク大学院卒
日本語、日本語／英語バイリンガルのカウンリングの提供もしています。
Procedures
Here are the steps for what to do/expect:
1. Contact me for availability.
2. Schedule a free 15 minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.
3. Complete your/your child’s intake paperwork online.
4. Schedule the initial assessment session (1 hour)
5. Schedule follow up sessions (45-60 minutes). Assessments are continued on an ongoing basis to ensure that I am ethically equipped to provide the continued care.
In-Network Insurance: Aetna & PacificSource (in process with Moda)
Receipts of Services (Superbills) are provided upon request for you to submit to your insurance for potential out of network benefits.
· Initial Assessment, $250
· Individual Counseling, $200
*to verify insurance coverage: please call your insurance company and ask if Miki Darby, LCSW is covered with your insurance plan.
PAyment
Contact FORM
Office is located in Lake Oswego, by the Oswego Towne Square shopping mall
