ABOUT me

It is my purpose to guide others toward their innate capacity for growth and wholeness.  Asking for help in navigating life struggles is both a vulnerable and courageous step in your own self-care. Through the secure base of the therapeutic partnership, I can assist you in discovering how to live with a greater sense of calmness, presence, confidence, meaning and connection in daily life.

My therapeutic approach is informed by advanced training and experience in EMDR Therapy, somatic therapy, relational neuroscience, and yoga. I am passionate about self-care and love collaborating with other healing professionals including acupuncturists, bodyworkers, yoga teachers, and alternative medicine practitioners to further support you on your healing journey.

I began exploring the mind body connection through my own yoga practice over 15 years ago as an undergraduate student. For the first time in my life, I had experienced the ability to soothe my nervous system, calm myself with breath, and begin to feel what my body actually needed. Through my studies in psychology combined with my own growth through mindfulness and yoga practice, I continued to feel drawn toward holistic psychotherapy. My education continued at University of Denver where I earned a Masters in Social Work with a focus on mind-body approaches to integrative trauma treatment

Over the past decade, I’ve provided therapeutic services in a variety of settings including schools, community mental health centers, assisted living, and hospitals. Within these settings, I’ve created and facilitated mindfulness and trauma-informed programming to increase community access to wellness practices including children’s yoga, therapeutic yoga groups, mindfulness classes, and self-care for health care providers.

I currently maintain a private practice in Denver, CO and collaborate with other community partners including The Blue Bench, WINGS Foundation, Women in Balance, Pass Center, and Brave Embodiment Counseling. I am also an adjunct instructor at University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work program, where I also supervise graduate-level interns.

During my down time, I enjoy spending time with my family and two dogs (pug and chiweenie), paddle boarding, exploring the Colorado outdoors, and practicing yoga. As a certified scuba diver, I also love traveling and discovering our beautiful oceans.

credentials

Licensed Clinical Social Worker, (#09924349)

200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher, Yoga Alliance

M.S.W., Counseling Psychology, Trauma Track
Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver

B.S., Psychology
University of South Florida

Professional training

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR Therapy), Maiberger Institute

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Level 1, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute

EMDR Advanced Trainings: EMDR Therapy Tools for Attachment Trauma, Chronic Pain, and Somatic Interventions, Maiberger Institute

Attachment-Focused EMDR, Parnell Institute

Treating Dissociative Disorders with EMDR Therapy,  Dolores Mosquera

EMDR and Ego State Therapy, Robin Shapiro

Yoga Therapy, Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy (TIYT-65 hr) and Sarasvati  Burman, Ph.D (150 hr)

200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, Samadhi Center for Yoga

Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, Dr. Ronald Siegel, Psy.D.

LifeForce Yoga for Depression, Amy Weintraub

Healing Touch, Level 1 Practitioner, Healing Touch Program

Testimonials

"I have had the pleasure of knowing Kara for the last four years. In a nutshell, she is one of the most authentic, approachable, competent mental health providers I have ever known. Her ability to sink in and meet her clients where they are is unmatched. Her humility is one of sheer beauty. I send many of my pelvic trauma clients to her for her beautiful combination of talk therapy, EMDR and yoga based trauma informed therapy. She is in the top 1% of clinicians I refer to." -Dr. Nicole Dority, DPT, MSPT, OCS 

“As a Social Worker myself, I have a particular appreciation for excellent mental health therapy, and Kara is one of the best. I was referred to her by my couples counselor for attachment-focused trauma therapy; my life has a distinct before and after as a result of that work. Kara’s approach is innovative, sensitive, and skillful. She weaves a variety of theories and modalities of trauma therapy into meaningful, accessible work personalized for your needs. I continue to use the skills and perspectives that I learned from Kara to my great benefit. The clients I’ve referred to Kara say the same: she is an outstanding, effective therapist.”- Previous client