Karen Oberhill
I love to work with people who are ready to leave old patterns behind, learn new skills and take accountability for their overall wellness. Whether you struggle with worry or an inner critic, or you feel nervous about connecting back into your body because of what you might feel, I provide a nonjudgmental space for processing, creativity and change. I typically see people who are sensitive and seeking boundaries, meaning, and peace. People who want to learn to manage thoughts, feelings and relationships, who are going through transitions, or who are looking to understand their strengths and skills like to work with me. I offer a balance between somatic body wisdom and practical strategic planning to help you move forward. I honor your intuition and knowing about yourself, and I help you to stand in your own personal power, assess your choices, and better understand who you are. My role is to create a steady, respectful space where your nervous system can settle and your own wisdom can come forward. We discuss your nervous system needs and reactions openly, with a gentle curiosity. My approach is collaborative, strengths-based, and empowering—I guide clients in reconnecting with their intuition, building confidence, and trusting themselves to move forward.
I guide thoughtful people to notice patterns of thought, emotion, and body experience, helping them reconnect with their intuition so they can shift what isn't working and make decisions with confidence.
This work is solution-focused and intentionally short-term to support self-trust and clarity. I love to work on one issue at a time so you leave sessions feeling grounded, capable, and ready to take the next step. I am grateful to share my life with my partner, my queer teen, and my animal companions, who remind me every day about presence, curiosity, and joy.
First session
In your first session, we’ll get to know each other and explore what brought you to me. I like to tell you how I work so you can determine if that works for you. We’ll clarify your goals and discuss how short-term, goal-focused sessions can help you reconnect with your intuition, build confidence, and move forward with clarity. Our first session may feel a bit like an interview, but I am a gentle interviewer, full of curiosity about what it is like to be you. I like to immediately ask you how connected you feel to your body, and with your permission, we might do a mini exercise to see how it feels to connect. I will ask a bit about your history, social circle, career, life satisfaction, and worldview. I am committed to ongoing learning and practice cultural humility so that wherever you have been in your life, you feel heard. Together, we’ll see if now is the time or season for us to work together. Most of all, this session helps us determine: 1.) if this is a fit, what will we work on first? 2.) if we are not a fit, what is your next step? This first session is meant for us to walk together and see what is possible.
Strengths
What makes my work different is that I don’t create dependency—I empower you to be the expert in your own life. I guide thoughtful helpers, leaders, entrepreneurs, and creative people to notice patterns of thought, emotion, and body experience, helping them reconnect with their intuition so they can make decisions with greater ease. My sessions are oriented towards embracing change so you can find more balance. If you don’t want to make changes and want to vent about your life and your circumstances, we will not be a good fit. I believe you’re powerful enough to shift anything that feels unwanted and unworkable. We work together so you can learn about your nervous system and needs so you can build practical tools and step into your life with confidence and purpose. Homework is intentional and agreed upon and non-negotiable. The way to build the kind of strength that lasts is to take charge of your own wellbeing and practice what you learn and notice outside of our sessions. After about 8 sessions, most of the time we will create a new plan because we have worked through the foundational work you will need to shift what is not working in your life. At this point, many people decide to go out into the world and practice their skills on their own, knowing that they can handle whatever comes their way.
Ideal clients
I work with thoughtful, self-aware adults navigating life transitions, career or identity questions, or seeking greater clarity and purpose. Helping professionals, educators, kindhearted and creative people tend to like working with me. Many clients come to me feeling stuck despite previous personal growth. Others want support to reconnect with their bodies and intuitive guidance. My approach is short-term, goal-focused, and centered on empowerment—so people who like to build skills, insight, and the confidence to move forward independently love working with me. In our sessions, we focus on following your own wisdom and use practical tools to support intentional decision-making. My goal is to help you get what you need efficiently so you can return to the world with self-trust, clarity, and confidence.
Treatment methods
Mind-body approach
I take a mind-body approach to therapy, recognizing that many challenges are experienced both mentally and physically. Stress, anxiety, and change often impact the nervous system, making it harder to think clearly or feel grounded. In our work together, we focus on slowing down, increasing awareness of your thoughts and internal experiences, tuning you into your intuition, and building skills to regulate emotional and physiological responses. As your system becomes more settled, it often becomes easier to access clarity, strengthen self-trust, and move forward in a more intentional and aligned way. This process is collaborative and paced according to what feels manageable for you, with an emphasis on safety, autonomy, and developing trust in your own internal signals.
Strength-Based
My work is grounded in a strengths-based perspective, meaning we focus on what is right with you and what is already working and build from your existing resilience, values, and capacities. We may explore this in a variety of ways, including optional assessments if you’re interested in gaining a clearer understanding of your strengths, patterns, and how you are currently approaching challenges and decisions.
Positive Psychology
I incorporate principles from positive psychology, which focuses on helping people build fulfilling, meaningful lives—not just reduce symptoms. In our work together, we’ll explore your strengths, values, and what gives your life a sense of purpose. This may include identifying what is already working, clarifying what matters most to you, and finding ways to move toward a life that feels more aligned and authentic. This approach is especially helpful during times of transition, when you may be asking deeper questions about identity, direction, and meaning. Rather than rushing to fix or change yourself, we focus on understanding who you are and supporting growth from that foundation. This work often includes reconnecting with a sense of self-trust and inner direction, especially for clients who feel stuck despite doing prior personal growth work.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I integrate cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-informed strategies to help identify patterns in thoughts and beliefs that may be contributing to feeling stuck. Together, we explore these patterns with curiosity and develop more flexible, supportive ways of thinking that align with your goals and values.
Solution-Focused Brief Treatment
I use a solution-focused approach, which means our work is oriented toward helping you move forward with clarity, intention, and practical next steps. Rather than focusing only on what’s wrong, we identify what is already working, explore your existing strengths, and build on small, meaningful shifts that can create momentum. This approach is especially helpful if you’re used to holding it all together for yourself and others, feeling stuck, overwhelmed by a transition, or unsure of your next direction. Together, we clarify your goals, identify patterns that may be getting in the way, and develop realistic, actionable steps that align with who you are and what matters to you. My work is typically focused on efficiency with a clear beginning, middle and end, supporting you in gaining insight, building confidence, and creating sustainable change without long-term dependency.
Location
Virtual sessions
In-person sessions2001 Hudson Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, Suite D
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Licensed in
- MichiganLicense 6401011943