Karen Garraputa , LCMHC

Karen Garraputa is a licensed counselor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and LGBT concerns. She works with individuals who are trying to cope with life changes and those who want to find more self-compassion and purpose. Her style is steady and practical, and she focuses on small changes that add up over time.

With 25 years of experience, Karen draws on straightforward methods to connect thoughts, actions, and feelings. She explains techniques in everyday language and uses mindfulness and behavioral tools so clients can try them between sessions. Sessions are collaborative and paced to each person's needs.

Karen often frames difficult moments as parts of a journey. She says it can feel like driving in fog where you only see a few feet ahead. In that metaphor she offers companionship rather than a map, helping people choose the next reasonable step when the whole route is unclear.

Her additional focus areas include forgiveness, guilt and shame, life purpose, mood disorders, self-love, and women's issues. Those themes come up when people want to rebuild after loss, make meaning of tough experiences, or change patterns that no longer serve them.

Clients can expect a practical approach that links daily habits to emotional shifts. Karen listens closely, offers clear strategies, and helps people test small changes until they find what works. She practices in North Carolina as an LCMHC and conducts sessions in English.

How CBT and DBT Translate to Online Care

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors to change how they feel. It often involves setting small experiments and practicing new skills between sessions so progress can show in daily life.

DBT, or dialectical behavior therapy, teaches skills for managing intense emotions and improving relationships through techniques like distress tolerance and emotion regulation. It can be useful for people who want tools to steady strong feelings and reduce reactive behaviors.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and which methods fit best, and then adjust the plan as needed. This is a collaborative process where methods are tried, evaluated, and changed to suit the client.

Online formats - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make therapy more flexible. Video works well for full sessions with visual cues. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text are helpful for short check-ins, practicing skills, or scheduling quick support on a busy day. These options help people fit therapy into work, caregiving, or other routines while keeping the focus on practical skill-building.