Kara Denahan, LMFT

Kara Denahan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in Rhode Island with 23 years of clinical experience working with individuals and couples, and she is currently providing therapy for individuals only. Her path to therapy began after earning a Bachelor of Science in Design with a specialty in Photography, followed by a return to graduate school in her mid-thirties to complete a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Rhode Island in 1997.

After several years working within other settings, she established a private practice where she blends clinical training with contemplative practice. In 1999 she joined a meditation group following the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, which expanded her use of mindfulness, acceptance, and the concept of interbeing in therapeutic work. That contemplative foundation influenced her approach to helping people cultivate inner calm and clearer connections with themselves and others.

Denahan has pursued advanced training in Internal Family Systems, completing Level I in 2010 and Level II in 2012, a model that frames the mind as a system of interacting parts and emphasizes connection with a wise, compassionate core self. She also integrates ideas from Polyvagal Theory and Interpersonal Neurobiology and draws on the work of clinicians and authors who combine neuroscience with contemplative practices. Her practice addresses a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, relationships, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, life transitions, addiction, LGBT issues, family and parenting challenges, grief, sleep disturbances, mood disorders, and attention differences.

Kara describes therapy as a process without a single correct path and aims to help each person discover the approaches and practices that best support greater ease and personal growth. She offers years of accumulated clinical training and contemplative influence to support that process.

Attachment and Mindfulness-Based Care Online

Kara Denahan draws on attachment-based and mindfulness-focused approaches to support emotional healing and clearer relationships. Attachment-Based Therapy emphasizes understanding interpersonal patterns and how early relational experiences shape current connections, which can help with relationship concerns, intimacy issues, and attachment wounds. Mindfulness Therapy teaches practical awareness and presence techniques to reduce reactivity and increase emotional regulation, making it useful for stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes. Trauma-Focused Therapy offers targeted strategies to work with the aftereffects of traumatic experiences, helping people process difficult memories and reclaim daily functioning.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the collaborative work. Kara will partner with each person to explore goals, preferences, and needs, and together they will identify or adapt methods that feel most helpful. This collaborative process allows adjustments over time as healing and insight develop.

Online therapy with Kara is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to attend regular sessions from varied locations and to integrate brief check-ins or tools between sessions. Licensed professionals and therapists can tailor pacing and modality so the work fits practical life demands while maintaining therapeutic momentum.