Karen Kelly, LCSW

Compassionate LCSW for trauma, addiction, and life transitions

Evidence based support
Military and first responders
English and French sessions

About Karen Kelly

Karen Kelly is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Alaska with 13 years of experience supporting people through complicated emotional and life challenges. She works with concerns such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and addiction, and she also helps clients facing workplace stress, social isolation, relationship strain, and major transitions.

Her style is compassionate, individualized, and focused on meeting each person where they are. Karen Kelly aims to offer a steady, supportive space for clients to examine difficult feelings and patterns, strengthen coping skills, and work through experiences connected to responsibility, guilt, shame, and painful past events. She supports clients who want to build resilience, improve communication, and move toward meaningful personal growth while navigating mood concerns, relationship changes, or barriers that feel hard to shift.

Karen Kelly has experience working with diverse populations, including active duty military, veterans, and first responders. She also brings cultural understanding of first responder work, including law enforcement officers and 911 Dispatchers, informed by her own background as a former first responder who worked as an LEO and 911 Dispatcher. Her care is grounded in evidence-based practices and tailored to the goals each client brings to therapy.

Areas of Expertise

Primary Focus

Stress, Anxiety Addictions Trauma and abuse Depression

Also Specializes In

Relationship issuesGrief Intimacy-related issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoping with life changes Compassion fatigue ADHD

Additional Focus Areas

CodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionFirst responder issuesGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWorkplace issues

Therapeutic Approach

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Mindfulness Therapy Motivational Interviewing Narrative Therapy Psychodynamic Therapy Solution-Focused Therapy Trauma-Focused Therapy

Frequently Asked Questions

How much experience does Karen Kelly have?

Karen Kelly has 13 years of experience providing therapy and supporting clients through concerns such as stress, anxiety, trauma, addiction, and life transitions.

Is Karen Kelly a licensed therapist?

Yes. Karen Kelly is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Her Alaska license is AK LCSW 109450.

In which languages does Karen Kelly provide therapy?

Karen Kelly provides therapy in English and French.

Where is Karen Kelly located?

Karen Kelly is located in Alaska.

How can I work with Karen Kelly as my therapist?

You can work with Karen Kelly through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. This range of options can help you choose the format that best fits your schedule and comfort level.

Does Karen Kelly work with international clients?

No. Karen Kelly does not currently work with international clients.

How much does therapy with Karen Kelly cost?

The cost of therapy can vary depending on factors such as your location and the therapist's availability. Sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time, for any reason. For current details, click the "Start Therapy" button on this page.

How can I get started with therapy?

Getting started is quick and straightforward. Click the "Start Therapy" button and complete a short questionnaire to help match you with your therapist. Depending on availability, you can then schedule your first session, which may take place by phone, video call, live chat, or in-app messaging.

Therapeutic Tools That Translate Well to Online Care

Karen Kelly draws from evidence-based approaches that can be adapted to online therapy while staying focused on the client’s goals and day-to-day realities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps clients notice how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact, and then practice practical strategies to shift patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, and stress.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) supports clients in making room for difficult emotions without getting stuck in them, while also identifying values and taking steps toward what matters most. This approach can be especially helpful when life feels overwhelming, during transitions, or when coping with guilt and shame. Karen Kelly also uses EMDR, a structured approach often used for trauma and post-traumatic stress, to help clients process distressing experiences and reduce the intensity of stuck memories.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Karen Kelly collaborates with clients to choose methods that fit their needs, goals, preferences, and pace, adjusting over time as new insights and priorities emerge.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. This can make it easier to stay consistent with support, whether a client is balancing shift work, managing family responsibilities, or living in a more remote area.

Ready to start therapy with Karen Kelly?

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