About Kenneth
Kenneth Shigematsu is a licensed clinical social worker in California with 35 years of experience. He focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. He also supports clients facing life transitions and LGBT concerns.
Kenneth approaches each person with respect and practical help. He begins by listening to the whole story and finding strengths to build on. Sessions are straightforward and geared toward real-life changes.
He uses clear tools to reduce anxiety and lift motivation.
Background and approach
Conversations stay focused on what matters most to the client. Kenneth draws on several practical methods to guide work in therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at unhelpful thoughts and tests new ways of thinking.
Client-Centered Therapy keeps the client’s priorities central and shapes the pace of change. Motivational Interviewing helps when people feel stuck or unsure about next steps. He also brings experience with a wide range of concerns, including caregiver stress, codependency, communication struggles, gender dysphoria, and issues related to kink and alternative sexual culture.
Kenneth offers calm support for people dealing with guilt, shame, isolation, or end-of-life stress. Sessions aim to produce clear, manageable steps between meetings. Kenneth works with each person to set achievable goals and track progress.
He respects different life paths and tailors his approach to individual needs.
Approaches that translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person’s priorities and pace. The therapist listens closely and follows what the client finds most important, which helps people feel heard and respected. This approach is useful for building trust and exploring personal goals.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It teaches simple exercises to test unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. CBT can be helpful for anxiety, low mood, and stress because it offers practical steps you can practice between sessions.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options with the client and choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaboration helps tailor sessions so they feel useful and relevant.
Online therapy offers real flexibility. Video calls let people use visual cues and hold full conversations. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is low or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging suit short check-ins, quick tools, or ongoing support between longer appointments. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and keep momentum between meetings.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Kenneth address?
What is his therapeutic style like?
How much experience does he have?
What credentials and location apply?
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What session formats are available?
How do fees and getting started work?
Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Abandonment
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Domestic violence
- Family of origin issues
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 35 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English