Karen Stark-Garrett
Karen Stark-Garrett
Hello! I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in California (Lic. #120212). I am also licensed in Arizona (LMFT-16375). I received my Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from California State University, Bakersfield, and I have a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Amridge University (Montgomery, AL). In my systems-based work, I look for root causes of emotional reactivity and maladaptive behaviors that interfere with healthy relationship functioning. My goal is to assist clients in breaking dysfunctional patterns of interaction, working through issues, and achieving inner peace, along with more satisfying relationships.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions and then discuss the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I recognize that finding the right therapist is not easy. Picking up the phone to set up an appointment and then opening up to someone new takes courage. I view therapy as something sacred, and if we are a good fit, I welcome the opportunity to join you in your journey toward inner peace, healing, and growth.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I specialize in family therapy, but I also see individuals and couples. I have clinical experience in grief, crisis, and loss issues related to death, divorce, disrupted relationships, infertility, and adoption, as well as trauma history, attachment struggles, unresolved anger, spiritual concerns, neurodiversity, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
About Karen Stark-Garrett
I identify as
Serves ages
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Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Attachment-based
Our early attachments to primary caregivers can profoundly influence our later attachments to friends, family, and romantic partners. As part of my practice, learning about your family of origin and your connections with others as you grew up provides the essential context in our work together.
Christian Counseling
I am an LMFT in California with a Master of Theological Studies degree from Duke Divinity School. I work with people of all faiths, but I mention that I am a Christian to let others know it is safe to discuss the spiritual side of humanity in therapy with me.
Relational
I work with individuals from a systems perspective. This means I will examine how your interactions with others affect your mood, behaviors, and overall well-being. Important Disclaimer: I am not able to bill insurance due to insurance policies that typically require a diagnosis of a mental health disorder for treatment. Since couples therapy is often considered relationship-focused rather than medically necessary treatment for a specific mental illness, many insurance providers do not cover it. This limitation applies to private insurance and Medicare/Medicaid/MediCal plans. If you would like to schedule couples or relational counseling with me, I am happy to see you on a private-pay basis.
Psychodynamic
In this approach, I look beyond behavior and external cues to see what lies within the psyche. Using metaphor, identifying ingrained defense mechanisms, and working through issues are part of the therapeutic process.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I find CBT helpful for identifying automatic thoughts and cognitive distortions so that the client and I can work collaboratively toward cognitively restructuring responses to triggers - both negative and positive. This lessens emotional reactivity and assists in the attainment of the client's therapeutic goals.