- Patient-centered care
- Practical coping skills
- Mindfulness and CBT
About Karen
Karen Shaughness is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 38 years of experience in New York. She offers a calm, patient-centered style and focuses on clear, practical steps people can take to feel better. Her approach is warm and down-to-earth, aimed at helping people who are stressed, anxious, or coping with life changes.
Karen uses client-centered methods to build trust and listen closely to each person’s priorities. She combines that with cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. Mindfulness practices are brought in to reduce worry and improve day-to-day focus. Sessions emphasize practical skills and small steps. Karen helps people set realistic goals, try experiments between sessions, and notice what changes. She also draws on motivational interviewing when people want help finding their own reasons to change. Outside of work she enjoys time on the water, kayaking, gardening, and long walks with her Golden Retriever. This everyday sense of balance informs her work and how she helps others recover a steadier routine.
How client-centered care and CBT translate to online therapy
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, understanding your priorities, and helping you feel heard. In practice this means the therapist follows your lead, clarifies what matters most, and helps you set goals you actually want to work toward. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce anxiety or low mood. It often involves short exercises and practical homework people can try between sessions to see what helps.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with you about your goals, try methods that fit your needs, and adjust the plan based on what helps. Clients and therapist make those choices as a team rather than applying a single method from the start.
Session formats are not specified here, so please confirm which options are offered before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and let people use brief check-ins on a day they need support. It can also make it simpler to practice CBT exercises and mindfulness between meetings because notes and tools are readily available. Ask about current session options when you schedule to find what matches your routine.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
38+ years
Credentials
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Karen help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and family issues, grief, trauma, sleep problems, parenting and career concerns, and related issues such as codependency and communication problems.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is warm and patient-centered. She listens closely, sets practical goals, and uses hands-on tools people can try between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 38 years of clinical experience, including work in hospital settings and with people facing addictions and family dynamics.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in New York and practices in New York.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Are international clients accepted?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How does cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with therapy?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.