- Anger management work
- CBT and DBT skills
- Trauma focused methods
About Karen
Karen McGuffey is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with 15 years of clinical experience. She works with adults who are dealing with stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, anger, relationship and intimacy concerns, and major life changes. Sessions focus on practical ways to notice patterns and make different choices.
Karen draws on client-centered therapy to listen and respond to what each person brings. She also uses cognitive behavioral strategies to help people pinpoint unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. Dialectical behavior therapy skills are used when emotion regulation and tolerating distress are central concerns.
When trauma or difficult memories are a factor, she may use eye movement desensitization and reprocessing to address intense reactions. Existential ideas appear in conversations about meaning, responsibility, and values for life direction. Karen aims to be straightforward and clear about steps people can take between sessions.
Her background includes community mental health work and long experience supporting people through loss, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and issues tied to attachment and abandonment. She also addresses sleep problems, career strain, and concerns related to body image and codependency.
Sessions are conducted in English and follow professional standards for a California LMFT. Karen asks people to consider what they want from therapy and to bring examples of when the problem shows up, so sessions can stay focused and practical.
To begin, she encourages a first meeting to clarify goals and try concrete tools that can reduce reactivity and build more steady responses in everyday life.
How her approaches translate to online work
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the person. Online sessions using this approach aim to reflect concerns, clarify goals, and guide straightforward problem solving.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions. In an online format CBT can include identifying unhelpful thoughts, practicing alternative responses, and assigning short exercises between sessions.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Skills training can be taught and practiced during remote sessions to help manage sudden anger or ongoing resentment.
Karen treats the choice of method as collaborative. She will help clients test approaches and decide what fits their goals and preferences. That decision comes from discussing symptoms, day-to-day patterns, and what the person wants to change.
The practical benefits of online sessions include fitting meetings into a busy schedule and reducing travel time. If you are interested in available session formats, confirm the current options before booking so you know how sessions will be conducted. Online work can make it easier to bring real-life examples from work or home into conversation and to practice skills between appointments.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem, anger, relationship and intimacy issues, sleeping problems, career and mood disorders such as depression and bipolar.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is practical and client-centered, using clear steps from cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy when useful.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 15 years of experience working in community mental health settings and private practice as an LMFT.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensed in California and practices in that state.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions scheduled and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time, so pricing may differ by plan and region.
How do I start a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session to get started.