About Katie

Katie Mukai, PhD 

Licensed Clinical Neuropsychologist

Dr. Katie Mukai is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist with extensive experience in neuropsychological assessment and therapeutic practice across the lifespan. Her past clinical settings have included inpatient and outpatient cognitive rehabilitation (Rancho Los Amigos, Casa Colina), outpatient assessment (UCLA Semel Institute, Long Beach VA, Southern Oregon VA), interdisciplinary mental health (Southern Oregon VA), community mental health (Fuller Psychological & Family Services), university counseling (Vanguard University), and private practice. Specializing in providing assessment services to children, teens, and adults with questions regarding ADHD, Autism, learning differences, mood disorders, medical complexities (e.g., hydrocephalus, multiple sclerosis), and traumatic brain injury/concussion, Dr. Katie approaches her work with a deeply neurodiversity-affirming and holistic perspective that reflects her clients’ unique experiences, identities, and life journeys. In this way, the assessments that she conducts emphasize clarity, compassion, and real-world applicability that can inform diagnosis, support treatment planning, and most importantly, provide clients with valuable insights about the next steps they can take on the path toward personal growth and well-being.

In therapy, Dr. Katie enjoys working with teens as well as adults in any stage of life and is extremely passionate about working alongside folks who are LGBTQ+, BIPOC, neurodivergent, and/or gifted, as well as people living with disabilities (both visible and invisible), anxiety, depression, attachment wounds, trauma, grief, and relationship issues. She draws from her in-depth training in a variety of therapeutic modalities (ACT, CBT, DBT, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, humanistic, psychodynamic) and individualizes therapy in collaboration with clients to meet their needs and neurocognitive styles. Dr. Katie also specializes in executive function skills coaching related to organization, time management, and planning/prioritizing so that clients from all walks of life can meet their goals. She is currently in the process of earning her certification as a Therapeutic Game Master in the Game to Grow method through the STAR Institute in order to use role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons in therapeutic group settings to foster social connection, communication skills, emotion regulation, and self-esteem.

She earned a B.A. in Psychology from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, as well as M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Clinical Psychology (Neuropsychology Track) from the Fuller Graduate School of Psychology right here in Pasadena. Dr. Katie completed her predoctoral internship at the Southern Oregon VA followed by a 2-year neuropsychology postdoctoral fellowship at a Pasadena private practice. As a local who was born and raised in LA, Dr. Katie spends much of her free time soaking up the Southern California sun by hiking, camping, surfing, cycling, and going for walks with her dog, Teddy. She and her wife also spend time indoors with their 2 orange cats and enjoy playing video games, board games, Magic the Gathering, and Dungeons & Dragons—if it’s a game, they’ll play it!