Karen believes that in life we have patterns of behavior that are developed and carried out over time. She wants to help you determine if those patterns serve your well-being or hinder you in your growth. When conducting therapy, Karen asks her clients to consider their internal narratives and their origins. She works with clients to soften opinions that are not their own and turn up the volume on their own wants, needs, and desires. She challenges her clients in intimate partnerships to not just listen but hear their partners. She gives space for family members who feel unheard to speak. She incorporates different storytelling tools, like music, movies, or art, to connect with clients who struggle to name emotions or share their stories. She recognizes that clients will access their narratives in different ways. Therefore, she creates a space for exploration. Karen has a unique ability to challenge clients using humor, compassion, and meeting them where they are. She knows that people come into therapy with various expectations, and she will work to make the environment as welcoming as possible for individuals, intimate partnerships, and family systems.
Karen has received introductory training in Perinatal Mental Health, including recognizing Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Post-Partum Depression, and managing expectations related to your Reproductive Story. Additionally, Karen is LGBTQIA+ affirming, sex-positive, kink-aware, and sensitive to the ways in which systems of oppression impact different communities in a variety of ways. She is interested in helping you with life transitions, family dynamics, and intimate relationships. She brings warmth, curiosity, and a caring personality. With Karen, you are welcome to come as you are!
Karen has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a Master’s degree in Couple and Family Therapy from Adler University in Chicago, IL. She moved back to Chicago with her husband after living in Los Angeles for almost 10 years! Outside of work, she enjoys jigsaw puzzles, painting, an eclectic mix of music, dance classes, reading, and trying to keep up with the latest TV shows and movies, though she will most likely be re-watching old seasons of Survivor or The Office.
