Karen Pelligra, LMHC

Karen Pelligra is a licensed mental health counselor in New York with 22 years of experience. She greets each person with kindness and a steady presence. She wants to help people who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or worn out by life.

Karen offers straightforward support for common struggles like anxiety, depression, grief, and relationship stress. She also helps people cope with addiction, trauma, parenting strain, and major life changes. She listens first, so clients can describe what matters most in their life.

Her approach blends practical skills with a warm, client-centered style. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify patterns that increase stress and to try new ways of responding. She also draws on dialectical behavior strategies and mindfulness to help with intense emotions and day-to-day coping.

Over two decades Karen has worked in outpatient clinics, inpatient psychiatric settings, and home-based family services. That range shaped her ability to match techniques to real-life situations. She focuses on helping people build useful habits and clearer thinking rather than on jargon.

Sessions aim to be collaborative and goal-focused. Karen works alongside each person to set small, manageable steps toward change. Her style is practical, patient, and aimed at helping people feel more able to handle life as it comes.

Practical approaches delivered online

Karen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, panic, and patterns that keep problems going. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening closely and building a supportive space so clients can figure out what they want to change.

She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills when emotions feel overwhelming. DBT techniques teach ways to tolerate distress, regulate intense feelings, and improve communication. Together these approaches give both tools and a supportive relationship to practice them with.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels most useful. That collaborative process shapes which techniques are tried and how quickly to shift focus.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and situations. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and skill demonstrations. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging are helpful for brief check-ins, homework, or when a written approach feels more comfortable. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy days and to use the methods in everyday life.