Kara Ranes
Hello, I'm Kara Ranes, a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 17 years of experience working in mental health. I received my master's degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University in 2009, and recently enrolled in a doctoral degree program in Clinical Psychology.
I'm able to hold space for complex, nuanced, and multi-layered issues, and also provide practical tools for addressing anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance-use.
I use a person-centered approach in therapy, viewing you as the expert. I seek to understand and hold space for you to explore the issues bringing you to therapy. My empathic, personable nature allows me to connect with various personality types. I take a multicultural approach to my work with clients, respecting and incorporating cultural variables into the therapeutic process and treatment goals. My go-to treatment models are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), but also integrate aspects of additional models such as solution-focused therapy, family systems therapy, and narrative therapy.
First session
During our first session you can expect review informed consent and mandated reporter policies, and then complete an intake evaluation that allows me to learn about your current mental health needs and history. Gathering this information during the intake session allows me to get a good clinical picture of your therapy needs, how I can best support you, and tailor the therapy and treatment goals to your specific needs.
Strengths
Clients often comment on my understanding, warm, validating nature. They also often share feeling comfortable in therapy, often for the first time in their lives. I'm able to hold space for complex, nuanced, and multi-layered issues, and also provide practical tools for addressing anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance-use.
Ideal clients
I work with clients who are motivated to explore thought patterns and/or earlier life experiences that may be contributing to their mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, or substance-abuse. As an EMDR-certified therapist, I work with clients who have experienced trauma (or adverse life events) that contribute to their current emotional distress.
Treatment methods
EMDR
I'm EMDR certified and use EMDR with clients who are wanting to address trauma-related symptoms.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I help clients learn to identify, challenge, and reframe negative thoughts that contribute to emotional distress. I also use CBT to help clients explore core beliefs that play a role in symptoms.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 53012