Kari Fager , LCSW

Kari Fager is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who focuses on helping people cope with stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, depression, and parenting challenges. She works with women and others facing life changes and the emotional fallout of past hurt. Her style is straightforward and compassionate, aimed at making small changes that add up over time.

In sessions she listens first to understand current struggles and priorities. She helps people unpack painful memories, manage overwhelming feelings, and build practical skills for day-to-day life. Clients can discuss whether they want faith-informed counseling as part of their work together.

Kari uses approaches that combine thinking-focused techniques with trauma work. She often draws on methods that help change unhelpful thinking patterns and reduce the hold of distressing memories. The goal is to move from surviving to having more ease in daily life.

She trained for a Master of Social Work at Dominican University and holds a California Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential. Kari has about six years of clinical experience in both community and clinical settings, including work in the United States and abroad.

Outside of sessions she spends time with family and enjoys nature. She also tries to coach her labradoodle Norah toward being a therapy dog, which reflects her warm, down-to-earth approach to healing.

Trauma-informed approaches and online care

Kari commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR as part of her work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms and improve daily coping. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a trauma-focused method that helps process distressing memories so they cause less emotional pain and disruption.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Kari will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what feels tolerable in sessions, then tailor methods to fit those needs. She checks in regularly and adjusts the plan as progress and comfort change.

Online therapy is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make care more flexible. Video calls allow face-to-face work when visual connection helps, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text are useful for shorter check-ins, skill practice, or when writing feels more comfortable. These options help people fit therapy into busy days and reduce travel time while still working toward clear goals in a collaborative way.