BUSINESS
Psychology
Aloha Counseling Associates
94-216 Farrington Hwy., Suite A-103, Waipahu, HI 96797
DIRECTIONS

About Aloha Counseling Associates

Hawaii's #1 Counseling & Therapy clinic
Aloha Counseling Associates

Welcome to Aloha Counseling Associates, LLC (ACA,LLC). If you are reading this, I am assuming that you are searching for some type of help for either yourself or a loved one, or you might be curious to know what counseling is all about.

For many of us, seeking counseling is not an easy decision. Some might feel it is an admission to weakness, others might feel that it means “something is wrong with me,” or that “I’m going crazy.” And, if it is your first time seeking professional help, it can be anxiety provoking and scary, because you might not know what to expect or what to say or even begin, but I want to assure you that these thoughts are all normal.

The world is becoming a more challenging place to live. Anxiety and depression are on the the rise and more people are taking medication for them. The bottom line is, I think society in general is under a lot more stress than it were 20 to 30 years ago.

Stress can come in many forms. Whether it is adjusting to a new environment, dealing with difficult people or with family and friends, relationships, work, personal crisis, or driving in traffic everyday, we are subjecting ourselves to stress. Eventually, that “negative energy” can slowly break down our bodies emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Some of us will turn to our friends, family, or pastor for help; some will turn to self-help books; others will just ignore it, and others will turn to unhealthy ways of coping.

If you are here, you are one of the millions and millions of people who are stressed and thought about either seeking counseling or reading a self-help book. But many people are ashamed to see a counselor or a therapist and may go to a bookstore, read the hundreds of self- help books and still feel something is missing. I believe that we thrive on relationships, and that it is the relationship that is missing in a self-help book. I am not suggesting that self-help books are not enough but I think some people need more.
Think of counseling as a self-help book that is live, that you can interact with, or like a seminar or a workshop, the only difference is that you will have a one to one relationship.

Here, at Aloha Counseling Associates, LLC, I, Dr. Valdez is here to listen and help in an environment that is safe, confidential, open, and non-judgmental. I operate using a Humanistic-Cognitive Behavioral-Psychodynamic orientation. All it means is that I assist a patient or a client understand how his or her formative relationships influences their current view of themselves, others, and the world. I also help people identify unhealthy patterns of relating and coping that might be related to challenges they might be experiencing. Occasionally, medication might be needed to help take the “edge” off of troublesome emotions or behaviors. If it comes to that, I will work collabortively with your primary care doctor, or I will refer you to my colleague, Dr. Romero to co-manage your care.

About Dr. Valdez

I was born and raised in Waipahu and graduated from Waipahu High School in 1992. I then attended Leeward Community College and transferred to University of Hawaii-West Oahu and completed my Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences. I subsequently was accepted to Argosy University and completed my Masters and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology. I completed my pre-doctoral internship followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at University of California, Berkeley. I then worked as a clinical psychologist at University of California, Santa Barbara for two years before returning home and spent two years working at Hawaii State Hospital. I opened up my practice about one year ago and joined neurologist Ray R. Romero, M.D.

Education and Degrees

Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology
Argosy University of Honolulu

Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology
Argosy University of Honolulu

Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences – Psy.
University of Hawaii West Oahu

Clinical Experience

Hawaii State Hospital
Clinical Psychologist

University of California, Santa Barbara
Clinical Psychologist

University of California, Berkeley
Post-Doctoral Intern in Clinical Psychology

University of California, Berkeley
Pre-Doctoral Intern in Clinical Psychology

Hana Community Health Center
Mental Health Specialist

University of Manoa
Practicum Counselor

Hawaii Behavioral Health, LLC
Clinical Therapist and Supervisor

Loveland Academy
Diagnostician

Leeward Community College
Coordinator and Academic Advisor for Native Hawaiian Students


tracking