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Shiho Murakami

Shiho Murakami, LICSW, LCSW-C

Maryland

LICSW in Maryland - family and trauma

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About Shiho

Shiho Murakami is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) practicing in Maryland with six years of experience. She works with adults who are dealing with LGBT concerns, family issues, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, and self-esteem struggles. Sessions are offered in English and Japanese. She is also licensed in the District of Columbia.

Murakami helps people identify how patterns from their family of origin affect current relationships and choices. She listens for recurring roles, communication habits, and expectations that may be limiting daily life. The work often includes clarifying values, learning concrete coping skills, and practicing different ways of communicating with others.

Her approach blends methods such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Attachment-Based Therapy. That can mean noticing unhelpful thoughts, experimenting with new behaviors, and tracking how family history shapes emotional responses. Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Motivational Interviewing may also be used when emotion regulation or readiness for change are central concerns.

Clients can expect straightforward conversation and practical exercises between sessions. Murakami adapts the pace based on what a person brings and what feels manageable. She aims to help people build clearer boundaries, improve communication, and reduce repeating old patterns.

To begin, a prospective client completes a short matching questionnaire and schedules a first session. Costs vary by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How Murakami uses therapy approaches online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking meaningful action despite difficult thoughts or feelings. It can help people who want to change patterns rooted in family expectations or who feel stuck by self-criticism. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns shape current connections and communication. It is useful when people notice repeating roles, fear of abandonment, or trouble trusting others. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) identifies unhelpful thoughts and teaches concrete skills to shift reactions and behavior, which can ease anxiety about parenting or social situations.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what has helped or not helped before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust them as progress and new concerns emerge.

Confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats. Online work can still make therapy easier to fit into a busy life by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins between appointments, or making it simpler to schedule around work and family responsibilities. Licensed professionals commonly use online sessions to maintain continuity of care and to support steady practice of skills learned in session.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

LGBTFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseParenting issuesSelf esteem

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Motivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

6+ years

Listed in

District of Columbia, Maryland

Languages

English, Japanese

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?

She works with LGBT issues, family concerns, trauma and abuse, parenting, and self-esteem, plus related topics such as attachment and family of origin issues.

What is her therapeutic style?

Her style is practical and conversational. She combines acceptance, cognitive, and attachment-focused methods to address thinking patterns and relationship dynamics.

How much experience does she have?

She has six years of professional experience providing clinical social work services in the Maryland area and is also licensed in the District of Columbia.

Which credentials and location apply?

She holds LICSW (District of Columbia) and LCSW-C (Maryland) credentials and practices in Maryland.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English and Japanese.

Can international clients work with her?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?

Costs vary by location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I get started?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.

Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.

Shiho MurakamiLICSW, LCSW-C

See online therapy options