Karen Garraputa, LCMHC

Karen Garraputa is a licensed clinician in North Carolina with more than 25 years of professional experience supporting adults through stress, anxiety, trauma, abuse, and depression. As an LCMHC (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor), she draws on a long history of work with clients navigating LGBT-related concerns and the many adjustments that come with life changes. She also focuses on areas such as forgiveness, guilt and shame, life purpose, mood disorders, self-love, and women's issues, helping people find practical ways to move forward when old patterns no longer serve them.

Karen approaches therapy with a belief that many small decisions shape where a person is now, and that discovering what comes next is part of the healing journey. She often uses cognitive behavioral techniques alongside mindfulness practices to help clients connect thoughts, emotions, and actions and create changes that feel useful day to day. She describes the process as a shared trip - honoring the courage it takes to begin while offering steady support along the way.

Clients who work with Karen can expect a compassionate, steady presence that emphasizes collaboration, real-world skills, and gradual progress toward a life that reflects their values and goals.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps clients identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. It is often used for stress, anxiety, mood concerns, and practical coping skills, with exercises that translate directly into daily life. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, focuses on building emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness skills. DBT can be useful for people who want concrete tools to manage intense emotions and improve relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Karen works collaboratively with each person to explore which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting techniques over time so treatment feels tailored and manageable.

Online therapy offers flexibility to meet from home, work, or elsewhere via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit regular sessions into a busy life, maintain continuity during transitions, and access support when in-person visits are not possible. Licensed professionals, including therapists like Karen, use these formats to deliver structured, skill-based care that integrates into clients' routines.