About Me
Ushi Arakaki PhD - Psychologist
I am a clinical psychologist graduated from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) in 2000. I have academic and professional experience in various countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Since college, I have had a particular interest in the clinical field, especially in Psychoanalysis, and I have been dedicated to studying this clinical field and the theoretical investigation of the human psyche since my undergraduate years. My other areas of study include: immigration, cultural identity, sense of belonging, psychology and immigration, discrimination, cultural adaptation, transnational communities, human rights, interculturality, globalization, religion, gender relations and identity, racism, psychoanalysis, and decolonialism.
Academic Background
In 2000, I graduated in Psychology from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), dedicating five years of study to Psychoanalysis. I conducted clinical sessions, always adhering to the three pillars of a psychoanalyst's training: theory study, personal analysis, and supervision.
In 2002, I completed a Master's in International Cooperation and Project Management at the Instituto Universitario Ortega y Gasset in Spain, which enabled me to work in various countries and immerse myself in diverse cultures.
From Spain, I moved to Japan to study Cultural Anthropology, aiming to complement my background in Psychology. I completed my master's degree in 2005 and finished my doctoral studies at Osaka University in 2010. My ethnographic research focused on the Brazilian transnational community in Japan, with a primary study theme on the cultural identity of Brazilian adolescents and adults. During my time in Japan, alongside Cultural Anthropology, I continued my dedication to studying Psychoanalysis, which remains ongoing as the training of a clinical psychologist is continual and dynamic.
Cultural Anthropology provided me with crucial clinical skills in serving immigrants, helping me understand the sociocultural and psychological factors involved in the migration process. The loss of maternal cultural references and the need for adaptation in a new country pose significant challenges. Delving into the role of cultural identity in the lives and psychic formation of Brazilian immigrants during my master's and doctoral studies in Japan significantly contributed to my clinical development.