Yuima Mizutani, Ph.D.

Dr. Yuima Mizutani (she/her) is an Assistant Teaching Professor at the Department of Education Sciences and Professional Programs. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from J.F. Oberlin University in Japan and her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Missouri - St. Louis. After completing her Master's degree, she worked for a year as a nutrition associate at UM Extension before returning to the University of Missouri - St. Louis to pursue a Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education. During her doctoral program, she worked as a counselor at various sites in St. Louis, MO, where she supported families and children from marginalized communities, immigrants, refugees, and clients in higher education.

Dr. Mizutani teaches a range of counseling courses, such as Field Experience, Group Counseling, Counseling Women toward Empowerment, Multicultural Counseling, Human Sexuality in Counseling, Advanced Multicultural Counseling, and Helping Relationship Skills. Her research interests focus on various topics related to identity development, including teaching and professional identity development among counselor educators with international backgrounds, bi/multi-cultural/racial individuals, Third Culture Kids, international parenting, Asians and Asian Americans, immigrants, refugees, and international students. In her research, she has conducted several projects with various qualitative methods, such as phenomenology, photovoice, case study, and duo-ethnography.

Furthermore, Dr. Mizutani is a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri. She is also a member of Chi Sigma Iota, an international honor society for counseling professionals.

Selected Publications

Kim, S., Ratanashevorn, G., & Mizutani, Y. (2023). Advocacy for mental health of Asian international students. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy. https://doi.org/10.1080/2326716X.2023.2169892 

Mizutani, Y., & Waalkes, P. (2022). Circle of Relationship: A Counseling Intervention for Confucian-Asian Adult Third Culture Kids. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-022-09479-9

Mizutani, Y., & Waalkes, P. (2023). Experiences of Confucian Asian college students with third-culture-kid backgrounds. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-023-09533-0

Waalkes, P. L., Stickl Haugen, J., Mizutani, Y., Meyer, J. J., Salvatierra, D., Odle, C., & Somerville, T. (2023). First-generation college students’ narratives of positive relationships with their school counsellors. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools. https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2023.1

Program Involvement

• MEd - Counseling | Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Minor - Counseling and Human Services Minor
• PhD - Counseling