Kara K.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW)
"We don't have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to"
Brené Brown
My approach to therapy is based on my belief that every person has inherent value and is a gift to the world. Throughout our lives we encounter experiences and relationships that can cause us to lose sight of our worth, and search for other things to fill the holes in our lives. I start with what I believe is most important – building a good therapeutic relationship. We will then build on that through the use of evidenced based treatments so that we find the treatment that works best for you. I provide a safe, nonjudgmental, warm environment where each person I see is treated with dignity and respect. Come as you are and we can work together to help you meet your goals and build the life you want to live.
I did not want to be a therapist. People around me would suggest it as a career option but I didn't entertain the thought much. My strong care for and desire to work with people led me on a search for a variety of career options, but none of them quite fit. After college I decided to put my desire to help into action, and I did a year of service through AmeriCorps in Chicago. While volunteering full time at a food and clothing pantry I learned about social work as a career option, which led me to pursue my master’s in social work. Even then, I was not thinking about counseling – I just knew I that I love people and wanted to do something meaningful. I chose the “mental health” track in my degree because I thought the experience and knowledge would be most helpful for whatever I ended up doing. It turned out that being a therapist is not just a good fit as a career – it is a vocation for me. All of my skills, knowledge, and desires fit in perfectly with the needs of the world in this way. Now that I’ve found my path, I have jumped head first into becoming the best therapist I can be, and I look forward to working with you!
