Helping Kids See That Everything They Need Is Already Inside:
A New Understanding Of Mental Health

About Us

Joshua Dimand, MBA

Joshua Dimand is a K-8 substitute teacher in Hawaii public schools with
a passion for supporting children’s emotional well-being. He holds an MBA
and is currently working on a second Masters in Social Work. Through his
classroom experience, Joshua witnessed firsthand the urgent need for
consistent mental health education across public schools when he observed
that the majority of children were struggling with emotions. Further, Joshua
observed that social-emotional learning (SEL) was neither standardized nor
required across public schools creating significant disparities. Joshua
became committed to addressing this gap, so in 2024, he asked his mentor
Sharon Usagawa (LCSW) to help him create mental health curriculum.
Joshua brings compassion, curiosity, and real classroom insight to his work.
With a heart for helping young people, he is deeply committed to inspiring
and empowering children to thrive both academically and personally.

Sharon Usagawa, MSW, DCSW, LCSW

Sharon Usagawa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than
25 years of experience supporting individuals, families, and children.
She is the founder of the Pacific Institute for Innate Mental Health on
O'ahu, where she applies the inside-out approach — the understanding
that mental well-being comes from our thinking — to education, therapy,
and community programs. Sharon’s work emphasizes that people are
born with a natural capacity for well-being. By helping children and adults
recognize and trust that innate capacity, she empowers them to navigate
life with clarity, resilience, and emotional balance.

Our Mission

Together, Joshua and Sharon are dedicated to transforming how children understand their minds and emotions. Rather than teaching rules or coping strategies, they guide students to see life from the inside-out, building confidence, reducing anxiety, fostering emotional balance, and creating stronger relationships. Their shared vision is a world where mental health education is as fundamental as physical education - giving every child the tools to thrive in school and life.