Shoko Kasanami

Shoko Kasanami is an AASW social worker with four years of clinical experience in Australia. She draws on her own life challenges and professional training to support people who are struggling with depression, anxiety, addictions and low self-esteem. Shoko is fluent in English and Japanese and aims to make first contact feel less daunting. Her approach is straightforward and direct. She offers a calm, non-judgemental space where people can talk about difficult feelings. Sessions focus on practical steps as well as understanding the stories that shape behaviour and choices. Shoko has worked in child protection and with an organisation that supports offender rehabilitation. Those roles shaped her interest in complex backgrounds and in helping people find realistic ways to manage stress and life changes. She often helps people who feel isolated or are wrestling with shame, guilt or body image concerns. In therapy she combines short-term problem solving with narrative work that looks at personal meanings. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques are used to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and try different responses. She adapts conversations to match each person’s goals and pace. Outside the room she enjoys motorcycles, skateboarding and music. She understands how hard it can be to ask for help, and aims to walk alongside people as they set achievable goals and build more stable day-to-day routines.

How Shoko’s approaches work for online therapy

Shoko commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Narrative Therapy in her work. CBT involves noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing small behaviour changes to reduce anxiety and depression. Narrative Therapy looks at the stories people tell about their lives and helps reframe those stories to make change feel possible.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Shoko collaborates with each person to pick methods that match their goals, preferences and pace. She will discuss options and adjust strategies as therapy progresses so the plan stays practical and relevant.

If you are considering online sessions, check the available session formats before booking since current options are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when that suits the person. It can also help people keep momentum between sessions by practising tools in their daily life and reviewing progress with their therapist.