HAVING A THERAPIST IS GREAT.
Looking for a therapist sucks.
You’ve poked around other therapy websites, had a few consultations, and even met with one or two therapists for a handful of sessions.
But their professional empathy felt weirdly distant and cold, and you left feeling disappointed at the lack of connection and exposed. Gross.
Deciding which stranger to confide in is no fun and a list of their degrees and certifications certainly won’t help.
So – I hereby dedicate this page to letting you do some virtual sleuthing about me. You can find out a little about what I’m like as a person, how that translates to what I'm like as a therapist, and what it's like to do therapy with me - because that's what you really need to know.
First things first though:
YOU.
You’ve entertained the idea of therapy off and on.
And to you, it has always sounded *fun*.
Yeah – you know it would be hard work. But being the introspective person that you are, it gives you a little thrill when you imagine spending an hour of your week digging into the *why* behind everything.
But you need a therapist who can keep up with the 372 different thoughts, feelings, and perspectives you have about the issues in your life. Someone who can track them as they war inside you like a pinball machine on the fritz. A therapist who can help you put it all together in a way that makes sense and calms things the hell down...
...because trying to track your on-the-fritz pinball machine (aka: your mind) on your own has you going cross-eyed. And not the kind that helps you enjoy Magic Eye illusions.
Heyo – I'm Karissa
I’m a depth-chaser. And ironically unhappy, compulsively introspective, functional-but-not-fulfilled women are my passion.
Or rather – guiding them through the fog of their dissatisfaction and celebrating with them as they emerge into vibrant clarity is my passion.
(Oh, and I can’t see Magic Eye images either.)
I know what it’s like to get lost in the details while feeling pulled to explore the depths – and the disappointment after wading in brain-first and emerging empty-handed.
I TRIED ALL THE THINGS.
THERAPY?
Of course, I tried therapy.
At first, it was “normal” talk therapy. I felt like I figured a lot of shit out and that felt great – until every problem I solved seemed to uncover three more.
Then I found EMDR and while it fascinates me as both a client and a therapist – I also REALLY LIKE TALKING.
(insert 1st grade school photo with my Telephone Tammy doll)
Therapy became a catch-22 for me. While EMDR de-escalated the intensity of some things for me, it always felt as if something crucial was missing without the storytelling and processing of talk-therapy. Yet no matter how much I talked, there was a lingering sense of incompleteness at the end of every session.
One day in my own therapy, I was talking through some complaints I had about something my husband did. And I was definitely headed into intellectual spin-out territory.
My therapist asked if I was willing to try something different. For the rest of the session, instead of talking about my bottled-up frustrations, she helped me listen and talk to them. It was a totally new experience to address my frustrations directly, hear them out, and respond. It was like my feelings and I became two separate entities in a conversation, rather than me wrestling with elusive emotions.
Yes, it felt weird.
And – my mind was BLOWN.
It was the first time anything/anyone had ever broken through my intellectual defenses…
…which I was WELL aware of by that time but could never get past, no matter how much I wanted to.
Two things happened after that session. I requested we do a lot more of “whatever that was” in my own therapy and, because I was in my master’s counseling program at the time, I d.e.m.a.n.d.e.d she tell me what the hell that was so I could do it with my clients too.
I found out the “thing” we did was parts work, or more formally, Internal Family Systems therapy. I continued to work with that therapist for quite a while because she was phenomenal. But IFS was just a tool in her toolbox, and we kept getting blocked. Her knowledge and experience of this internal work were limited - and I wanted more.
Five years later and I’ve gone all in
with Internal Family Systems therapy.
I’ve spent over 200 hours completing levels 1, 2, and 3 training
through the IFS Institute and am pending official certification.
Certification goes beyond completing the training. It’s one thing to have an intellectual knowledge of the model, it’s another to demonstrate mastery by synthesizing and applying what you know, tailored to the individual. To become certified, my skills are first assessed through direct observation and then endorsed by the IFS Institute.
But the secret sauce of IFS?
The presence I bring to our relationship, not the alphabet soup behind my name.
And by presence – I mean my inner state of mind (energy/vibe etc.). The quality and condition of my internal landscape emotionally, spiritually, and relationally absolutely flavors the work we do because parts work is highly experiential and highly relational.
I take that seriously by tending to the presence I am bringing to our sessions through ongoing therapy, consultation, and training.
To get cheeky about it, I take care of my shit so I can help you take care of yours.
ANALYZE, ORGANIZE, STRATEGIZE NOT WORKING FOR YOU ANYMORE?
IMAGINE:
therapy, tailored just for you.
Just like a pair of custom jeans fit perfectly because they're made just for you, bespoke therapy is tailor-made to fit the contours of your life, your challenges, and your aspirations. It's therapy that gets you.
Ready to slip into your perfect therapy fit?
Here's what you can anticipate:
Curiosity
I listen to understand, not to fix. This is the first step to creating emotional safety and internal cooperation and paves the way for the relief you’re seeking.
Clarity
I listen with intention so I can reflect back to you the emotions and significance of your experiences with such accuracy it can be overwhelming – but in a way that leaves you feeling deeply understood.
Compassion
Curiosity and clarity naturally unfold and express themselves in compassion as I assume a positive and protective intent behind all your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Courage & Calmness
The depths of your vulnerability look like monsters under the bed to you. I’m the adult who isn’t afraid of the dark and will show you there’s nothing to be feared.
Confidence
I am your personal hope merchant.
I know the relief you are seeking is possible– and I know the way towards it.
Connectedness & Creativity
I’m not just a smile and nod robot in a cardigan – and this is what will feel different about me than the other seven therapists you could go to. I use a lot of humor and weird, spontaneously occurring analogies and metaphors to get us not just on the same page, but the same word – nay, the same punctuation mark.
education, training + other receipts
Licensed Professional Counselor #2018006446 | Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors
Certificate of Completion IFS Level 1 Training | Internal Family Systems Institute
Certificate of Completion IFS Level 2 Training | Internal Family Systems Institute
Certificate of Completion IFS Level 3 Training | Internal Family Systems Institute
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Colorado Christian University, Lakewood, CO
