Hello! My name is Kara, and I am a licensed Master of Social Work in the state of Michigan.
Maybe you feel yourself start to close off when someone asks how you're doing, because you don't really know the answer. Maybe when you hear the phrase "your past", the same difficult memories flash through your mind. You've been told you just need to "get over it", or just "be happy". What they don't understand is, you would never choose to feel this way. Maybe depression, guilt, or shame have become so familiar, that you wonder what therapy would even do. You want to feel worthy of the good things in life, to feel joy again. Imagine being able to share your story with someone, or talk about your day without this sinking feeling. Imagine waking up each day without that pit in your stomach. I can help you get there.
I first sought to become a therapist because I love walking with others through their life. Sometimes that involves walking together, other times it involves sitting in the darkness together, or jumping for joy together. Life is complex and wonderful and no one is born knowing how to do it. However, I firmly believe that we have most of the answers to our troubles within us, we just often need help finding them. Therapy is a great place to do this.
I see a wide range of clients and utilize multiple methods of counseling, but I am especially passionate about working with adolescents and young adults - specifically those dealing with relationship issues, depression, self harm, and feelings of guilt and shame. I have been working in the mental health field since 2013 in outpatient and inpatient settings, with a variety of client populations, and have been providing licensed counseling since 2017.
A little about me: I am a West Michigan girl through-and-through. I graduated from Hope College in 2015 with a Bachelor's in Psychology, and from Grand Valley State University in 2017 with a master's in social work. In my free time, I can usually be found with my husband, toddler son, and dog cooking, playing card games, or at the beach!
It is my pleasure and honor to deeply know and understand each of my clients. I work to make the process of therapy a simple one, no matter your schedule. I look forward to working with you!
Additional areas of focus: Addictions, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Bipolar disorder, Compassion fatigue, Abandonment, Attachment issues, Blended Family Issues, Body image, Codependency, Commitment Issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster, Dependent Personality, Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Emptiness, Expats, Family Problems, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Life purpose, Mood disorders , Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Personality Disorders, Post-traumatic stress, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Harm, Self-love, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues, Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
MI LMSW 6801104036