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 inside and out.