- Compassionate guidance
- Skill-based work
- Values-focused goals
About Karen
Karen Contardo is a licensed mental health counselor with 15 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship concerns. She supports clients facing life changes, grief, parenting strain, sleep or eating problems, and career or coaching questions. Her work is direct and compassionate, aimed at making day-to-day life feel more manageable.
Karen adapts sessions to each person’s needs. She uses Client-Centered Therapy to prioritize the person’s goals and pace. She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to offer practical skills for handling difficult thoughts and feelings.
In sessions she focuses on clear steps people can try between meetings. That may include simple behavior changes, values-based goals, and exercises to reduce avoidance. Conversations are collaborative and focused on what the client wants to change most right now.
Her practice also addresses longer-term struggles like chronic pain, illness, control issues, emptiness, and midlife questioning. She helps people sort through financial stress, isolation, impulsivity, and choices around school or work.
Karen practices in Washington as an LMHC, and she offers services in English. People who are considering therapy can expect steady, practical support aimed at improving coping and clarity over time.
How therapeutic approaches guide online care
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the person's own goals and pace, with the therapist following what matters most to the individual and reflecting back what they share. This approach helps when someone needs space to sort priorities and make decisions about next steps.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on noticing painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choosing actions that match personal values. It can help with anxiety, depression, chronic illness, and feeling stuck in patterns that reduce quality of life.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, centers on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them through behavior changes. It often includes short exercises and skills that people can use between sessions to reduce symptoms or improve routines.
Finding the best fit is a team effort. The therapist will work with the client to try approaches and adapt them based on goals, comfort, and what produces helpful change. The plan can shift as needs evolve.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm the session formats available before booking since the biography does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and let people use tools and worksheets during or between sessions. Licensed professionals can tailor these benefits to practical everyday life needs.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Listed in
Washington
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Karen commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, grief, parenting strain, career decisions, and related concerns like sleep or eating problems.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and person-centered, focusing on practical steps and the client's goals while using a warm, nonjudgmental approach.
What is her experience working as a therapist?
She has 15 years of clinical experience supporting people through life transitions, chronic health challenges, and personal development work.
What credentials and location are listed for this therapist?
She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LMHC, practicing in Washington.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled and what is the cost structure?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with this therapist?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.