A Different Kind of Karen
Hi, I’m Karen (she/her)!
Don’t worry, I’m not that kind of Karen - I’m an affirming art therapist and counselor here at Modern Path.
I don’t think that there is a one-size-fits-all type of therapy. I approach therapy from a person-centered and individualized approach, which means that what you tell me is truth and your reality, and then I tailor my therapy approach uniquely to you.
As an art therapist and counselor, I often combine talk therapy with art-making, creative interventions, and pop culture (like memes, viral videos, and gifs). You know that feeling when you see a meme or TikTok and just think, “mood.”? That happens because many of us experience similar mental health struggles and tough experiences. Relating to someone’s depiction or description of their feelings helps us feel less isolated. Memes also bring humor to feelings and experiences (especially when the OP is way funnier than you) and that laughter is great for healing and feeling connected.
Sometimes, we have a combination of mental health symptoms, obstacles to overcome, feelings that are tough to manage, and trauma that affects many parts of us, which is exhausting! During your journey, I’m honored to be able to offer you support, guidance, and resources during our time together. I’ll check-in with you throughout our work together so that we are always working towards your goals. We can get through this together.
So now that you know a little about me, I’d love to share with you a few examples of what we can work on together in therapy.
Tl;dr- anxiety, depression, self-esteem, trauma, communication skills, and working with gender minorities, artists and creative types, teenagers and their families, and trauma survivors.
Trauma is something we all have experienced in various amounts and intensities as trauma can be acute, which is a single traumatic experience, or chronic/complex, which is repeated or ongoing traumatic experiences. I have worked with many people, maybe just like you, who have experienced relational trauma in the form of physical, verbal, sexual, or psychological abuse from another person. When we experience a traumatic event, we often try to forget it happened and just hope that the pain will go away on its own. Sometimes we downplay the trauma and say, “I’m fine,” a lot.
It’s okay to be not-okay in our therapy space. There is no expectation for what your healing should look like. When you’re ready, we can talk about your experiences and explore the effects on your current self, relationships, behavior, emotions, and anything else you want to work on together. Your resiliency has helped you stay strong and get you to this place, and I’m proud of you for looking for a therapist.
I do truly enjoy working with people from all different backgrounds, but I've noticed that I am generally a really good fit for certain types of people.
For the past few years, I have been working with folx exploring their gender identity, “coming out”, transitioning (if desired), and living life as their authentic selves.
I’m encouraging of the journey of learning who you are, while also supporting and assisting with all of the other identities you have or things you struggle with. I am definitely a cheerleader throughout the process but I’m also going to provide affirming information and resources, engage in the informed consent process, and help you reach your therapy goals (and not just the gender or sexuality-related ones).
As a cisgender person, I believe it is my responsibility to educate myself on lived experiences outside of my lived experiences. I have engaged in over 30 hours of gender-affirming training, primarily with clinicians of lived experience, and read many books on supporting those who are gender minorities to help me best support people who are gender minorities. I also serve on the board for the LGTBQ+ Therapist Resource group, which has allowed me to professionally connect with many of the top affirming therapists in Atlanta.
I work with many creative folx, such as visual artists, hobbyists, performers, dancers, etc. I connect well with these individuals as I also enjoy drawing, collaging, cosplay, dancing, and supporting performers in affirming, welcoming spaces in Atlanta. I have found that art therapy and creative interventions are incredibly helpful when we explore our identities as artists and the unique, sometimes complicated, relationship we have with our own art. Art is a product of our own creation, so when art is criticized by others or even yourself, your perspective of your own identity may shift or feel negatively impacted.
I have worked in supportive roles for teenagers since I was one myself! I enjoy working with the energy and fun that comes with being a teenager, while also supporting them through their unique experiences and emotional processing at that age. It’s important to include the family in therapy treatment when I work with a teen client, especially with teens struggling to communicate with their parent(s) or guardian(s). I can introduce new skills for improving communication, helping decrease struggles in the social environment, and strengthen emotional expression to help improve the relationship between the teenager and their family. An important part of my therapeutic alliance with my teen clients is building trust and mutual respect. I want my teen clients to feel welcomed, celebrated and affirmed for who they are, and their voice to be heard within our space together.
I incorporate art, gaming, and popular teen interests to keep teenagers engaged, while also providing information and resources to help them manage their current emotions and struggles, while they develop into an adult. I’ve had the honor of providing workshops and presentations for both teenagers and parents at the annual GSA/LGBTQ+ Youth Summit through the Georgia Safe School Coalition.
If I seem like a good fit for you, send me an email, and let’s set up a phone consultation. I’d love to get to know you more and share a little about myself. I’ll leave you with this parting gift and I hope to hear from you soon!
-Karen (she/her)
