01 · Who Lori works with

Lori works with stress, Anxiety, grief and self esteem

Lori lists 11 specialisms and 8 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Lori chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Lori's own words

What Lori says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Hawaii, serving the Hawaiian Islands as a social worker since 2008. I have worked with clients of all ages and diverse backgrounds. My specialty is working with the aging population (60+ years old), their caregivers, and those facing chronic illness.

Being born and raised in Hawaii, I have been blessed to grow up in a community that values humility, different cultures, respect towards others, and family (whether by blood or at heart). These values are foundational to my practice. My hope is for clients to feel that I am approachable, present in the moment, and safe. My style of counseling is calm, conversational, and person centered.

Each person is different with unique needs. I plan to listen to understand, and I will adjust my approach to what works for you. Together, we can talk about what is important to you and what are goals that you want to achieve. I am here to support and empower you.

I love working, because I get to meet and help people! When I am not social work-ing, I enjoy going to museums, watching live theater, and hitting whatever target I am aiming at. I am also a Christian.

I look forward to working with you!

Lori Shinsato, on the BetterHelp listing · read 7 Nov 2026

03 · How Lori works

The 4 approaches Lori lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Lori lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Lori's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Lori runs a session.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Mindfulness-Based TherapyMBCT

Trains attention on what is happening right now - body, breath, the thought as it arrives - so distress can be observed rather than automatically acted on. Strongest evidence is in preventing depression from recurring, and it is usually taught as a practice you keep doing outside the session.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Lori practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Lori's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Lori at this point.

2. Naming Lori specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Lori is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Lori.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCSW

Licensed in

Hawaii

Licence

HI LCSW LCSW-4281

Licence number

LCSW-4281

Licence expires

30 Jun 2028

NPI

1841708369

Years in practice

5

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

06 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Lori's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 7 Nov 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Lori. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.