- Trauma informed care
- Practical coping skills
- English and Tagalog
About Karen
Karen Santos is a PACFA psychotherapist and social worker with 12 years' experience. She supports adults, adolescents and children through stress, anxiety, grief, depression and parenting struggles. Karen’s approach aims to make therapy practical and relatable for everyday life.
She draws on long experience in trauma and mental health counselling and recent community mental health case management. That background helps her connect what happens in sessions to real life challenges. Karen offers a calm style and focuses on what matters most to each person.
Her work covers a wide range of concerns including attachment and abandonment issues, body image, chronic pain and illness, caregiver stress, eating and food-related issues, and coping with life changes. She also helps with communication and commitment problems, codependency, dissociation and the effects of domestic violence.
Karen uses several evidence-informed ways of working. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She adapts techniques to suit the person in front of her rather than following a single method.
Sessions are offered in English and Tagalog. Karen aims to create a respectful space where people can reconnect with their values and build practical coping strategies. To begin, she asks people to describe their immediate concerns and what they hope to change.
She draws on long experience in trauma and mental health counselling and recent community mental health case management. That background helps her connect what happens in sessions to real life challenges. Karen offers a calm style and focuses on what matters most to each person.
Her work covers a wide range of concerns including attachment and abandonment issues, body image, chronic pain and illness, caregiver stress, eating and food-related issues, and coping with life changes. She also helps with communication and commitment problems, codependency, dissociation and the effects of domestic violence.
Karen uses several evidence-informed ways of working. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She adapts techniques to suit the person in front of her rather than following a single method.
Sessions are offered in English and Tagalog. Karen aims to create a respectful space where people can reconnect with their values and build practical coping strategies. To begin, she asks people to describe their immediate concerns and what they hope to change.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Parenting issuesCoping with life changes
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDissociationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseWomen's issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Narrative TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems
Experience
12+ years
Credentials
PACFA · Australia
Languages
English, Tagalog
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small, meaningful steps towards them. It helps when stress, depression or life changes make it hard to act in line with what matters. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and uses practical exercises to test and shift unhelpful patterns. It is often useful for anxiety, low mood and problem-solving. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) helps people notice and name important feelings and improve emotional connection in relationships; it can support work around grief, attachment and communication struggles.Finding the right approach is part of the therapy work. The therapist will talk with a person about their goals and try different ways of working to see what fits. Sessions are collaborative and adjusted over time to match changing needs and preferences.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm the available session formats before booking since this profile does not specify them. Online options can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. They also let people choose quieter surroundings or avoid being on camera for some sessions. An appropriately qualified or registered counsellor will discuss practical arrangements and help you decide what will work best for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Karen commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief and parenting challenges as well as trauma and abuse. Other areas include chronic illness and pain, body image, eating issues and attachment concerns.
How would you describe the therapeutic style?
Karen uses a calm, collaborative style and keeps sessions practical. She focuses on what matters to each person and adapts tools to suit individual needs.
What is her professional background?
She has 12 years of clinical experience in trauma and mental health counselling and recent community mental health case management work.
What credentials and location are shown on the profile?
The profile lists PACFA as a credential and shows practice in Australia.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Tagalog.
Can people outside Australia access sessions?
International clients are not currently accepted; sessions are provided to people located in Australia.
How are costs handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a therapy match?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.