Counseling Services Staff

Frank Kuo received his M.S. in Counseling and Counselor Education at Indiana University at Bloomington and earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He utilizes Rogers’ Client-centered approach. Frank listens and tries to understand how things are from the client's point of view. He treats the client with the utmost respect and regard. Frank also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The basis of this orientation is around the concept of peoples’ thoughts affecting their actions and if their thoughts change, their actions can change, even if the situation stays the same. He uses many different strategies and techniques in this school of thought, along with borrowing from other approaches if he believes it will be beneficial for his client.

Frank looks at a student’s entire life, i.e. social, family, personal beliefs, environment, and genetics. He views mental health as a continuum, where students should be continuing their growth to the next stage and reaching their highest quality of life. Frank’s areas of interest include multicultural issues, international student outreach, diversity issues and cross-cultural adjustment, spirituality issues, supervision and training, and group counseling. Frank is able to provide bilingual counseling in English and Mandarin Chinese.

Ekaterina “Ekat” Kapoustina holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from UH Hilo, and a B.S. from the University of Toronto, Canada. Ekat’s person-centered approach to counseling provides a safe, non-judgmental environment for clients to learn about themselves, navigate challenging life transitions, and foster resilience. Ekat draws from attachment theory and views connections with others as central to understanding the person in a holistic way, as such a strong therapeutic alliance is at the core of her practice. Ekat’s passion is working with couples and individuals through an attachment lens to help clients gain a deeper understanding of their interactional patterns, increase emotional awareness, develop better communication skills, and form deeper connections.

Ekat has completed trainings such as Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and an Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy 4-Day Externship to further her growth as a counselor. She has experience working with adults, adolescents, children, and families in various settings such as communities, in-home, over the phone, and online. Ekat has worked with individuals displaying symptoms of anxiety, depression, conduct disorder, ADHD, among other disorders. Ekat’s experience as an international student brings a unique perspective to understanding issues of acculturation and assimilation, values, and cultural attitudes that contribute to a client’s experience and identity. In the future, she hopes to become certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), provide educational workshops, consultation, and mentorship to new therapists. Ekat is also a certified QPR trainer; if you would like to schedule a training session or have questions related to suicide prevention topics, please feel free to get in touch and find out more.