Shiho Murakami, LICSW, LCSW-C - Therapist in Maryland

LGBT issues
Family conflict
CBT and ACT

About Shiho

Shiho Murakami is a licensed clinical social worker in Maryland with six years of experience. She also holds a LICSW in the District of Columbia. She focuses on LGBT concerns, family conflict, trauma and abuse, parenting questions, and self-esteem struggles.

Murakami uses clear, conversational talk in sessions. She listens for patterns from early relationships and current pressures. She draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to challenge unhelpful thinking. She also uses acceptance and commitment techniques to help people clarify values and take small steps toward meaningful change.

Her background includes work with issues such as abandonment, adoption and foster care, attachment concerns, and blended family dynamics. She has supported people dealing with body image, codependency, communication problems, and caregiver stress. Murakami has experience addressing addiction, eating-related issues, domestic violence, and family of origin wounds.

Sessions are grounded in practical skills and direct reflection. Clients can expect straightforward feedback, behavioral strategies, and attention to relationship patterns. She works in both English and Japanese when needed.

When someone first reaches out, she focuses on immediate concerns and reasonable first steps. The early sessions look at what feels most pressing, identify a few concrete goals, and try methods that match how the person prefers to work.

How her approaches translate to online sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small actions that align with those values. It can help when someone feels stuck after school or in a first job and wants steps toward a more meaningful day-to-day. Attachment-Based Therapy examines patterns tied to early relationships and current connections. It is useful for people dealing with family conflict, attachment worries, or relationship stress. Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and together decide which methods to try first. That collaborative process can include trying behavioral exercises, value-driven steps, or reflective work on relationship patterns to see what fits. The biography does not list specific online session formats. Before booking, confirm which formats are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when days are tight, and remove the need to travel to an office. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT and attachment-based techniques for remote sessions so the work focuses on practical skills and real-life changes rather than on whether a session is in person or remote.

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 problems Control issuesDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameImmigration issuesImpulsivity Infidelity Isolation / loneliness Life purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issues Mood disorders Multicultural concerns Obsessions, 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 phobia Women's issues Workplace 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 kinds of concerns does she focus on?

She works with LGBT-related issues, family conflict, trauma and abuse, parenting matters, and self-esteem. The profile also lists related problems like attachment issues, adoption and foster care, and body image.

What is her therapy style like?

Sessions use straightforward conversation and practical skills. Expect a mix of cognitive behavioral techniques, acceptance and commitment ideas, and attention to relationship patterns.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has six years of professional experience working with the listed concerns. That experience includes a range of family and trauma-related issues.

What are her credentials and where is she licensed?

She holds LICSW and LCSW-C credentials. The LICSW is in the District of Columbia and the LCSW-C is in Maryland.

Can I work with her in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English and Japanese. International clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are available?

The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.

How does payment work and what does it cost?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Exact pricing depends on the chosen plan and locale.

What do I need to do to start?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session. That begins the intake and scheduling process.

Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.