Introduction
Hi, I'm Hijiriko Castleman, someone who has spent a lot of my own life figuring out how to turn barriers into building blocks. Boy, are there a lot of building blocks! Some of them have been knocked down and rebuilt more times than I'd like to admit, but I'm still building, and I've accepted that's just part of the human condition. There's a Japanese proverb I hold close: 七転び八起き (nana korobi, ya oki), “fall down seven times, get up eight”. That's been true for me more than once, and I know that will continue to be true for me throughout my lifetime.
I grew up working class in a rural Oregon small town, a first-generation college student, and I'm biracial, raised multicultural, late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD, and queer. None of that made things easy, and the road from there to here was anything but straight (and I've come to find very few trajectories in life are). Every step of that journey is why I do this work the way I do.
My Story
I was born in Japan and raised in Oregon, and I've spent my life moving between cultures, languages, and identities: Japanese and American, disabled and high-achieving, working class and highly-educated. I studied Japanese, German, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian languages and cultures at varying depths because I've always been drawn to understanding people through the lens of where they come from. I studied abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo and later worked as an Assistant Language Teacher in Osaka through the JET Programme, an experience that deepened both my cross-cultural fluency and my belief that identity is something we build in community, not isolation.
Earlier in my career, I created and ran a life skills program for people re-entering society after incarceration, from both the juvenile and adult systems, helping them rebuild practical skills (organization & accountability, financial wellness, and personal wellness) and a sense of self-worth. I've also worked in autism research advocacy, serving on a research advisory board helping shape more inclusive, equitable assessment practices for late-diagnosed autistic individuals from under-served backgrounds.
Currently, I am interested in conducting research and helping autistic individuals with workplace communication and self-advocacy to prevent and address workplace mistreatment.
I especially love helping people find careers that better suit their needs and interests, and this is where I've always excelled throughout my career as a mentor.
My Training and Educational Background
I hold a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Idaho State University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Oregon.
I previously practiced as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC).
I share this so you understand the depth of training I've received that shapes the way I listen and what I am able to see within my clients, not because that license or certification is active here.
I'm not currently practicing as a licensed counselor, and I don't provide counseling, psychotherapy, or any clinical mental health service through Mainichi Mentorship.
My personal development service approach is primarily grounded in the training I received working in the mentorship program at the non-profit Sponsors, Inc., where I assisted ex-incarcerated folks in re-entry, utilizing Motivational Interviewing, values exploration, and mindset shifting skills, along with building essential life skills that are tailored to your needs.
After several years in the mental health field, including intensive work with high-acuity clients navigating PTSD, addiction, personality disorders, and other trauma-related concerns, I made the decision to retire from clinical practice and licensure.
This was a deliberate, permanent shift in how I wanted to continue to work within the realm of the helping professions, not a step away that I intend to reverse.
Working within the realm of personal development services allows me to keep doing meaningful work in a way that fits my strengths: I work best in an active, experiential style, often with people who are already past the "thinking about it" stage and ready to try new approaches, take direct feedback, and move toward concrete goals.
This is the domain and role in which I know I personally thrive and achieve thriving results with clients as well.
My Special Interests
Outside of work, I love playing Hello Kitty Island Adventure and World of Warcraft, and I'm a big fan of South Park, 90s-early 2000s sitcoms, and cerebral, thought-provoking films. I also make it a priority to stay active, whether that's lifting weights, dancing through a round of Just Dance, traveling, or hiking with my Morkie and domestic partner. And when I'm in the kitchen, I'm usually reworking recipes for foods I love from cuisines around the world, many inspired by my travels, to be more macro-friendly without sacrificing flavor or texture.