Karen Kelly, LCSW

Karen Kelly is a licensed clinical social worker with 13 years of experience in Alaska. She helps people facing anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, and work-related stress. Karen brings a practical, steady approach to difficult moments and focuses on what will help someone feel and function better day to day.

She listens first and adapts her methods to each person's needs. Karen often combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with acceptance-based and client-centered strategies. She also uses skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and EMDR when those approaches fit the concern.

Sessions are straightforward. Conversations focus on coping skills, problem-solving, and small behavior changes that add up. She helps people name troubling patterns, test new responses, and build habits that reduce distress over time.

Karen has particular understanding of first responder and veteran experiences from her own background in law enforcement and 911 dispatch. That perspective informs how she frames safety, stress reactions, and work-related trauma in practical terms.

Her work also addresses relationship problems, grief, self-esteem, ADHD-related struggles, and burnout or compassion fatigue. She supports people dealing with separation, substance use, anger, and the fallout of natural or human-caused disasters. Conversations focus on clear steps and realistic expectations rather than jargon.

How evidence-based methods translate to online care

Karen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors, which is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is another approach she uses to help people clarify values and take action even when uncomfortable feelings are present. Client-Centered Therapy informs how she listens and shapes sessions to each person's pace and goals.

Deciding which method to use is a team effort. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try approaches that fit those goals, and adjust based on what helps. Clients and the therapist check in together to find the best mix of tools and strategies.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care flexible. Video is good for deeper conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited or a simpler check-in makes sense. Live chat and text messaging let people write out thoughts between sessions or use shorter exchanges when schedules are tight. These options help people fit therapy into work, family, or remote-living routines without losing continuity of care.