MY STORY
About Kara
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and I specialize in providing individual counseling to adults using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I have been active in the field of social work for 7 years, with an additional 3 years of training. I am skilled in working with individuals experiencing intense or overwhelming emotions, struggling with stress management or just feeling “stuck” in life. For these individuals, it may feel as though emotions come on quickly or are difficult to manage and they may also struggle with self-esteem or self-love. While we all try to do the best we can to problem solve and manage life stressors, sometimes what we’ve been doing is no longer working for us.
I help clients untangle strong emotions and thoughts by balancing the “see-saw” of acceptance of current life circumstances and helping in problem solving. In doing so, we identify unhelpful behaviors that are no longer serving a purpose and work toward more healthy behaviors that are relevant to people’s goals to figure out the problems in their lives. I help clients rebuild a sense of trust in themselves, emphasizing self-compassion and teaching them how to increase self-esteem and have healthy relationships with themselves and others.
My approach & values
My role as a counselor is to build authentic relationships, motivate individuals toward their goals and maintain safety in the therapeutic relationship. As a counselor trained in DBT, I believe that therapy with someone is a real relationship between equals, meaning the work in counseling is carried out by both of us. I am genuine, intend to practice the skills that I teach and I bring my whole self to each session. I request honest and real-time feedback and strive to respond non-defensively. I work to remember that I am perfectly imperfect (and show kindness to myself along the way).
I work alongside clients in identifying personal values and strengths, using these characteristics to identify reasons for change in parts of your life that are important to you. That is, let’s use what’s already working and further cultivate it into building a meaningful life while identifying the skills needed to cope with life’s stressors. I know that one size does not fit all. I integrate treatment approaches based on your preferences, what you say has or hasn’t worked before and what your overall goals are now. I use an approach that incorporates mindfulness, a focus on personal strengths, self-compassion/self-esteem and self-care. I incorporate cultural sensitivity into treatment and engage in ongoing personal and professional development to increase my own awareness of implicit bias and systemic issues. My style is direct, compassionate and sometimes humorous, within a professional and relaxed atmosphere.
I became a social worker after experiencing restlessness working in an office setting for a few years following the completion of my B.S. in Political Science. As I grew personally while experiencing job stress, I was empowered to learn that I could affect my emotional experience and relationships. I witnessed the stress and general discontent of others and set off on a path of peace and purpose in my life. While exploring my core values of compassion, justice and empowerment , I realized the compatibility with social work and desired the professional training to help others realize their own peace and potential on an individual level. During my training, I experienced great passion, personal growth and purpose. I have been active in the field of social work for 7 years, with an additional 3 years of training. I have experience with both inpatient/outpatient psychiatric healthcare systems, legal & guardianship issues, and community resources. I am guided by this quote, commonly attribute to the Talmud: “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now. Love mercy now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
My clients have described me as effective in helping to untangle complicated thoughts and emotions, similar to the metaphor of untangling a ball of yarn. Some clients have noted that “You can find a positive in anything,” particularly when they are struggling noticing strengths or something positive about themselves. I am comfortable addressing difficult topics and “pushing” a conversation, while also using silence to provide space for healing.
Top Influences
Ann Lamott
Writer of spiritual reflections and everyday life, somehow making it all important.
Bruce Springsteen
The Boss! Only he can put into words the indescribable moments of life.
Brene Brown
She exploded on the TED stage but her books are loaded with wisdom too.
Mr. Rogers
He taught us how to live like the neighbors we need.
“In our world, divide and conquer must become define and empower.”
Check out the office!
Kara’s Favorite Things
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Beauty at the Arizona Desert Botanical Gardens
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My coworker Blizzard trying to help at the home office!
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Brene Brown dropping her knowledge.
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KU basketball keeps me excited in winter months - Rock Chalk!
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Hanging with my coworker!
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A meaningful Rumi quote
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Drinking coffee & reading outside with a wild dog in the background
Professional Affiliations
National Association of Social Workers
Clinical Social Work Association
Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) and committed to the practice of Health at Every Size® (HAES®) principles
Specialized Training
While Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) are required to maintain continuing education education hours according to the state licensing board and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) ethical standards, I have obtained specialized and/or ongoing training in the following areas:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) treatment
Motivational Interviewing/Substance Use Disorder treatment and recovery
Suicide Prevention/Crisis Intervention
Trauma
Chronic Pain
Telehealth/ethical provision of virtual services