Kara C.

Kara C.

M.S., LMFT

Supporting Your Growth With Care

Meet Kara: a couples counselor, life coach, and individual therapist who creates an accepting and supportive environment for you to work on your personal life and relationships. She uses emotionally focused, systemic and evidence-based approaches to help deepen your understanding of yourself, increase your emotional connections, and create lasting change.

Schedule with Kara


Therapist Overview

 

Hi there! I’m Kara. In my work as a marriage counselor, individual therapist, and life coach, I believe that YOU are the biggest agent of change in your life. Yes, it’s true, sometimes we can get stuck – stuck in patterns both internally and in our relationships — but I believe that you have everything you need to be happy and successful.

In our work together, I will empower you to find acceptance, compassion, and joy within yourself and in your relationships. Together, we can identify strengths, obstacles, and areas of growth to create lasting change in your life.

 

Marriage Counseling, Couples Therapy & Relationship Coaching

In my work as a supportive marriage counselor, couples therapist, and relationship coach, I take an open and direct approach to our work together, which includes identifying strengths in the relationship and also areas of potential growth.

I have completed training in the Gottman Method of couples counseling, which is an evidence-based counseling approach that provides a structured, step-by-step process for rebuilding the foundation of relationships, gaining new constructive communication skills, and repairing your strong emotional bond. I use this perspective to provide you with foundational skills for building openness, understanding, and love. I am experienced in helping couples work on self- and relational exploration to understand why we do the things we do in our relationships.

I approach sessions with an open and nonjudgmental stance, creating a space where both of you will feel accepted and comfortable in this journey of rekindling and strengthening your love for one another. I emphasize building trust and closeness between partners and establishing a secure base that ensures both of you feel understood and safe.

I can help you with a variety of relationship challenges, including struggles with conflict and communication, discernment work, feeling “stuck” in your relationship, sexuality, premarital counseling, and parenting.

Through our work together, I am hopeful that you will become the expert on your partner, increase your awareness about what you contribute to your relationship, identify strengths and negative patterns in the relationship, and strengthen the bond between you.

 

Premarital Counseling and Coaching

I see the decision to start premarital counseling and coaching similar to scheduling an annual check-up, a relationship check-up if you will. We don’t know what we don’t know, so seeking out information about what makes relationships last, assessing how your relationship is doing, then applying these new skills can be invaluable as you take the next step in your life together.

In our work, I outline topics that I believe all couples can benefit from learning about and applying to their relationships. I use evidence-based frameworks from the Gottman Institute, Attachment theory, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Esther Perel’s insight on intimacy and desire. We will assess what conflict, resolution, and compromise looks like in your relationship. We’ll discuss cultivating a secure bond and maintaining this throughout your marriage. We’ll explore the expectations you are both bringing into your relationship and how to create shared meaning and values as a couple. We’ll discuss the importance of intimacy and maintaining connection, setting boundaries and parenting (if applicable), in addition to learning how to navigate topics such as work, finances, division of labor, and planning for the future.

My hope in providing you with this outline of topics is to give you a road map of conversations that could benefit the future of your relationship. Many of my premarital clients have mentioned wanting to have these conversations on their own, but sometimes wonder if they’ve asked themselves the “right” questions. I can help you address these topics thoroughly so that you’ll leave our sessions having learned something new about yourselves and each other, and having gained skills that will help you keep your relationship healthy and strong.

While this process is structured, it’s also flexible. I work to meet you where you’re at with your budget and availability, and we’ll work together to prioritize the topics that are most beneficial to you, based on your relationship’s unique needs.

If you are interested in this form of coaching or therapy, whether you’re starting a new life together or just want to use these sessions as a relationship check-up, I invite you to reach out to me below for a free consultation.

 

Life Coaching

In life coaching, we will begin by discussing your goals while also building self-compassion and self-acceptance for where you are currently in your personal growth journey.

I can help you understand more about yourself, identify cycles and patterns to help improve relationships, help you grow as a person, gain clarity and confidence, and establish healthy habits and boundaries in your life and relationships.

My approach to life coaching is systems-oriented. This means that we will look at the different parts of you that make you unique. Throughout our work, you will develop a deeper awareness, understanding, and appreciation for yourself.

It’s important to consider the context in which we live our lives. We will look at the circumstances and life events that make you who you are (e.g. work/career, relationships, upbringing, societal messages, and more) and how these impact your happiness. We can identify the limiting beliefs and messages that still shape your life today, and through self-compassion and acceptance, overcome self-criticism and self-doubt.

My life coaching style is supportive, encouraging, and active. I can help you create awareness, develop skills, and build habits to create lasting change in your life.

 

Individual Therapy

In addition to individual and couple’s coaching, I am able to provide psychotherapy to residents of Colorado.

I have worked with individuals, families, adolescents, and couples with a variety of issues, including relationship conflict, communication, struggles in parenting, processing the impact of trauma, self-esteem, anxiety, sexuality, and cultivating emotional awareness.

I have experience working with individuals, couples, and families around many diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, and autism spectrum disorder. My goal is to create an inclusive and supportive space for all people to feel like they can be their authentic selves. I integrate a number of evidenced-based therapeutic modalities depending on the needs of my clients, including mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Internal Family Systems therapy.

 

About Me

I received my Master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Colorado State University. I have completed level-one training in Gottman Method couples counseling, an evidence-based approach to relationship therapy. I am currently a Marriage and Family Therapist Candidate in the state of Colorado.

In my free time, I enjoy baking, spending time with my husband and our goofy dog Whiskey, family time, hiking, and enjoying time in nature.

I would love the opportunity to support you and collaborate with you! I invite you to schedule a free consultation with me so we can talk about your hopes and goals, and how I can help you accomplish them.

Schedule with Kara