About

Hi, my name is Shawna Kaneshiro. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with a Master’s Degree in Counseling with a focus in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I have also completed additional training for Prepare/Enrich Marriage and Premarital assessments, perinatal (conception to one year after birth) mood and anxiety disorders, Gottman Method Couples Therapy - Level 1/2, military culture, and suicide intervention skills. I am also a National Certified Counselor.

My area of focus is on relationships, intimacy, postpartum, prenatal, parenting, premarital, and martial counseling. However, I have worked in a variety of settings interacting with children, adolescents, and adults. I worked in community mental health which has given me experience in working with a variety of diagnoses and issues. These include depression, anxiety, PTSD, adjustment disorder, substance use, anger, relationship issues, and narcissistic personality. I have also worked with homeless and low income individuals, mentored adolescents, worked in youth ministry, worked with military veterans, was an advocate for domestic violence and sexual assault victims, and worked with individuals with learning disorders and intellectual disabilities. Additionally, I am a mother and have been married once before so in my experience I can relate to some of the issues that may arise from being a parent or spouse.

I am very passionate about helping others and I attribute that to my cultural background. I am Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino however I resonate most with my Native Hawaiian background. I am all about the “Aloha Spirit”. I live my life with love, compassion, patience, peace, warmth, respect, and honesty toward others. I believe that the “Aloha Spirit” is an essential part of relationships and interaction with others and I strive to bring the “Aloha Spirit” out in others so that healthy relationships can be reached and maintained.

I grew up in a pretty culturally and economically diverse environment which I attribute my comfortability in working with individuals from all walks of life to. I believe that everyone has a story to tell and different experiences to share. In sharing stories and experiences we are able to connect as human beings and we are able to learn and grow as individuals. I want to connect as a human being and help clients explore issues they are having in order to help them live authentically to who they are and help them reach the goals they want to achieve. Everyone has their own unique journey in life and as a therapist I want to come along side and help clients thrive.

I think we are relational beings therefore as a therapist I want to help clients be able to interact in a way that is true to themselves while also being respectful and emotionally connected to others. I want to help make sure that in a relationship individuals don’t lose themselves so that happiness and interdependence can occur. Building up communication and relational skills are very important to me as well as building relationships that can withstand honesty. I believe individuals place a big hindrance on their relationships because of the fear they have of being authentic and true to themselves. My goal is to help individuals come to a place where they are comfortable being their authentic self. A place where they are seen for who they are. I believe inauthenticity in any relationship tends to create tension, resentment, hurt, and contempt and overall prevents individuals from having satisfying relationships. As a therapist, I want to help build lasting, fulfilling, and emotionally connected relationships.

My counseling approach is eclectic, meaning my approach derives from a variety of theories and techniques. Every client’s experience in session is different because every client’s needs are different and so my approach is to adjust to the needs of my clients. With that said, my primary way of understanding issues are through a cognitive behavioral, person-centered, and a strengths based approach. Additionally, I do use other approaches such as dialectical behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, and existential therapy.

I understand that spirituality can play a huge part in people’s lives. I understand theological principles and have studied theology throughout my Masters program. Integrating spirituality into the work is definitely something I am comfortable with per client’s request.

When I am not a therapist, I enjoy spending time with my three children. They keep me busy most of the time and they bring so much joy to my life. I enjoy reading, bouldering, catching up on my favorite shows, any outdoor activity, playing board games, listening to music and dancing, traveling, and most of all spending time with friends and family.

With all that said, I am here for you. If you are feeling the stress of your relationship or life transition and don’t know how to navigate the issues in your life, let’s connect. If you are feeling hopeless and stuck, let’s connect. If you are feeling alone and overwhelmed, let’s connect. You are not alone, I’m here for you and your ohana (family). I am looking forward to connecting with you! Please contact me with any questions that you may have. 

Mahalo,

Shawna Kaneshiro