Individual Therapy

People seek therapy for many reasons.  Normally it's because they are uncomfortable with the way they feel or and act and sometimes because they are dissatisfied with life in general.  Sometimes it's because of a crisis.  If you're reading this pages it's because you are wondering if I might be a good fit for you.  The short answer is - I hope so.  But if I'm not, I'll try to direct you.  If you decide to call me I'll be glad to speak with you to answer your questions and schedule an initial appointment.  I'll want to know what your primary concerns are, gather background information, get to know your strengths and needs and discuss what you hope to get out of therapy.  Being a good fit is important for both of us to achieve your goals.

No Pathologizing

You can read my background on the "About Karen" page.  You'll see that my degree and license is Marriage and Family Therapy.  One thing to understand about MFT is that it's a mental health methodology of treatment and a way to better understand you.  The training of MFTs is different than that of social workers, licensed professional counselors and psychologists.  We're trained to think of individuals as part of a whole.  We MFTs see people integratively.  Our training is extensive and our license requires at least 500 hours of supervised clinical practice post graduate school before being able to sit for an exam.

What I mean by "as a whole" is that I want to understand you in total.  Your family of origin, experiences- good and bad, current and past relationships, physical illnesses & medications, your faith tradition(s) present and past, problems and strengths as you see them and the specific issues & symptoms that bring you into see me.  As a LMFT I try to understand your mental health as part of your general health.  

My goal as a therapist is to equip you to not need me anymore!  I want you to have the skills and insight you need to improve.  I'll consider your total wellbeing, medical treatment you may need, healthy habits that can improve, and help you achieve a more fulfilling relationships. I don't just treat symptoms.  I want to help with underlying problems to help reduced emotional pain and suffering and effectively resolve your symptoms.    

Reasons some people seek therapy:
  • I'm under tremendous stress
  • I had a traumatic  event  (vehicle accident, crime victim, medical crisis, abuse,  etc.)
  • I carry so much baggage and am ready to get rid of it
  • I'm sad, cry easily and lack motivation
  • I'm always anxious and worried
  • I'm not sure I want to stay married
  • I just need to talk out my problems to a neutral party
  • I don't like me
  • I'm going through an awful time in my life
  • My life is changing and I need help transitioning 
  • My friends and family keep suggesting I get therapy since they're not able to help
  • I don't feel like myself anymore
  •  ...Too many to list