Shiho Murakami, LICSW, LCSW-C

Shiho Murakami is a licensed clinical social worker based in Maryland who helps people facing relationship and self-worth challenges. She focuses on practical changes to thoughts and everyday habits so clients can move toward clearer choices and more satisfying daily life. Sessions are offered in English and Japanese to match client preference.

Shiho adapts conversation and plans to each person's situation. She listens for what matters most and works with clients to set small, doable steps. Expect a respectful, sensitive approach and straightforward suggestions that fit real life.

Her background includes six years of professional experience and licensure as a LICSW in the District of Columbia and LCSW-C in Maryland. That experience includes supporting people with LGBT concerns, family conflict, parenting strain, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem issues. She also addresses related topics like adoption and foster care, attachment issues, blended family dynamics, and caregiver stress.

Clinically, Shiho uses methods that focus on thoughts, values, and coping skills. She draws on cognitive behavioral ideas, acceptance and commitment approaches, attachment-based work, dialectical behavior tools, and a client-centered stance to tailor sessions. This mix lets her match techniques to what each person needs.

Working together usually starts with small goals and clear steps. Shiho supports gradual change through regular check-ins, practical exercises, and direct conversation. She aims to help people build habits that feel manageable and meaningful.

How therapeutic approaches shape online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice unhelpful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It is useful for people who want practical ways to change habits and live more in line with what matters to them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behavior and offers clear exercises to try new ways of responding. That approach often helps with low self-esteem, anxious thinking, and unhelpful routines.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work together with each person to identify their goals and try methods that match those goals and preferences. That collaborative process can include testing an idea for a few sessions and adjusting as needed.

Confirm the available session formats before booking so you know what options are offered. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. They can also let people use session time from a different location when that helps with logistics. Talk with the therapist about what will work best for your routines and goals so sessions support real-life change.