Karen Chambless (She/her)

My overarching goal will be to help you define your values and move towards what is a fulfilling and healthy life for YOU. Along the way I can provide new coping skills that work for you. In session, I seek to share what I have learned and am learning, both through research/education as well as my own experiences. I often use metaphors, analogies, & storytelling to help clients change behaviors, thought patterns, relationships, and their whole lives. I am able to integrate the language of personality typologies such as the Enneagram/MBTI into therapy, when desired. And I try to never take myself too seriously! I primarily work from a theoretical stance combining Compassion-Focused Therapy (which integrates self-compassion with evolutionary psychology) and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. I also integrate components of Internal Family Systems, Narrative Therapy, and Interpersonal Neurobiology. I am a trauma-informed professional and seek to keep up with current research in this field.

My values as a counselor are openness, respect, & empowerment. I strive for cultural humility and to decolonize my therapeutic practice wherever I can, acknowledging my own privilege. I am affirming of neurodiversity (ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, etc) and am a LGBTQIA+ ally. I am a highly sensitive person and know what it's like to "feel too much." I believe that spirituality, or the connection with something bigger than ourselves that also connects us to all beings, is a part of health and wellness. This connection can be expressed through a religion or through experiences in nature, with art, or related to a social/political cause. Questioning and deconstructing beliefs associated with religion can be a painful and lonely experience, but is often a vital step in becoming who we are meant to be - wholly integrated, free individuals with humility and empathy. It is an honor to come alongside individuals who are in this process and help them find peace and wisdom for themselves.