Shydu Kato

Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is ask for support. I am Shydu Kato, LCSW, LICSW, and I work with Latinx and minority populations, children 8+, teens and adults, Spanish-speaking patients. My focus includes anxiety, depression, coparenting, emotional regulation, executive functioning, self-esteem, life transitions, cultural identity, parenting, stress management, women's issues, and family conflict.

My approach is culturally centered and affirming. We'll look at how your thoughts and behaviors connect, find what's already working and build on it, practice mindfulness skills for the hard moments, and explore how patterns from your past might be shaping what's happening now. I create a space where you can show up exactly as you are. I believe you already carry capacity to grow within you — even when things feel overwhelming. My role is to help you reconnect with that capacity to grow and build meaningful change at a pace that honors your story.

What makes my practice unique: bilingual, culturally grounded, humor-forward, affirming but also focused on helping you find a way to move forward. I bring 13 years of clinical experience to this work. Education & Training: MSW from NYU

If this resonates, I invite you to book a free consultation — no pressure, just a conversation to see if we might be a good fit.

My approach is culturally centered and affirming. I blend CBT, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, mindfulness-based strategies, and psychodynamic work — so we can explore the root of what's happening while also building practical tools you can use this week. I'm bilingual and grounded in cultural context, meaning I take seriously how your identity, family dynamics, and lived experience shape what you're going through. I believe therapy should feel human — I use humor when it fits, and I won't just sit and nod. I'll meet you where you are, but I'll also help you move toward where you want to be.

Your first session is about getting to know each other — no pressure to have it all figured out. We'll talk about what brought you in, what you're hoping to change, and what your day-to-day life looks like. I'll ask some questions about your history, your relationships, and what you've tried before. You'll ask me anything you want — about how I work, what therapy will look like, or anything else on your mind.

By the end of that first session, my goal is for you to have three things: a sense of whether we're a good fit, a general direction for what we'll work on together, and at least one thing you can take with you that week. You won't leave with a diagnosis or a rigid plan — you'll leave with a starting point and a sense of what's next.

Sessions are available in English or Spanish. Whether you're coming in for yourself, your teen, or your child (8+), the first session moves at your pace. If at any point something doesn't feel right, I want you to tell me — that's part of the work.