Hello, I'm Karen and I am so happy that you have made this first step of seeking what might help whatever situation you are in. It's a big step, and not taken lightly. Therapy effectiveness is known to work best when it feels like the right fit for you, and you are in a place in your life to move forward with it. I have been doing this for a minute, and know how much change can come about walking alongside you on this journey. I have worked in outpatient settings, managed counseling programs, private practice, schools, drug treatment, crisis response, elder care, and at-risk settings. While I have skill sets in those areas, I feel that working with anxiety, trauma, grief, ADHD , and adjustments to life's circumstances are particularly strong attributes for me.
The first session is built around building rapport, and getting a little background history about who you are and what your experiences are, and what brings you in. The more comfortable you are, the more you will be able to share and the better I am able to help.
I feel my biggest strengths are my 30 years of experience with a wide variety of clients, issues and settings, and a personal style of calmness, genuine authenticity, respect, caring and non-judgment. I enjoy working with ADHD, grief /loss, trauma and anxiety. Children, teens and adults are all welcome. *Young children tend to do better in person. Couples, while I have worked them and feel it's been successful, are not my forte, .
I take an eclectic approach to therapy depending on your situation and needs. I enjoy all ages, but most importantly people motivated and open to putting the work in to change. I feel like I work well with those dealing with grief and loss issues, and attention deficit disorders, from young ages into adulthood and just learning of this diagnosis. Anxiety and adjusting to new situations are also an area that I specialize in,
I have been practicing for over thirty years and have learned while there are the basic tenants of therapy, each person and situation is unique, and it’s not “one size fits all”. I work with the individual on their specific situation, and adapt a modality, interventions and style of therapy for their treatment and what will provide them the best vehicle to make the progress and process, what they would like.
A variety of methods are used, including processing, patterns, narrative therapy, positive psychology, family systems and origins, inner child if needed, trauma and grief focused, if needed. CBT and psycho ed often is used for some DX such as adult (and child) ADHD, spectrum, anxiety, etc.
Strength based, psycho ed, science and family of origin patterns if warranted.