Greetings! I am Karen Larkins. I am pleased to introduce myself as a healthcare professional, with GROW Therapy. I am delighted to share my clinical experience, and educational background within this program. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, with the State of Michigan, as well as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. I am an advocate and a consultant for persons living with disabilities. I work to achieve self sufficiency, and overcoming barriers for persons who are disabled. I counsel individuals facing stigmatizations associated with lack of supportive services for persons with disabilities. The optimum mental health of many people is contributed to their quality of life. Being able to attain self sufficiency is a great incentive for living well and fulfilled.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Clients will receive a reception of appreciation and gratitude for their time to enter a meeting at a level of comfort which should enable them to feel relaxed and fully at ease, with no pressure to align to a particular standard of treatment, only to hopefully establish a rapport, in that, the transparency of the therapist will be evident, and the client will be able to speak and express themselves in a cohesive and comfortable manner, as to effectively communicate and share feelings with the therapist, to work towards achieving treatment goals which will be successful objectives for the client to attain.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My personal experience has contributed greatly to the way my professional experience and career has been shaped. As a person who has encountered many challenges in life, I have learned the importance of being an advocate for change, and challenging the “status-quo” to obtain what is necessary in life, and being unafraid to move forward, and not backing down. I take a “no nonsense” approach to counseling, and I’m striving to as much as a “life changer” as I can be, to the persons who are really trying to become empowered, and alter the life dynamic that currently has been a barrier for them.
About Karen Larkins
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I use person centered therapy quite often during treatment, as a means to create a nonjudgmental and safe therapeutic environment, which will allow the client to express themselves in a free and unbiased dialogue, which will expose maladaptive behaviors, and reduce the stressors which may be associated with the symptoms and stressors the client may be suppressing.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I have included SFBT in Therapy, as a means to achieve relatively “quick” solutions to an issue or a situation, and without necessarily spending considerable time uncovering the underlying psychological issues which may have contributed to behavioral issues.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is often used in treatment with groups for SA, to develop strategies to modify cognitive behaviors which could be habitual in a person’s life. Discussions are led to assist in recognizing patterns which could lead to maladaptive behaviors and triggers which become intrusive in a person’s mindset, and lead to relapse and addiction.