- Years in practice
- 38
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- New York
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Addictions
- Focus
- Relationship issues
About Karen
Karen Shaughness is a licensed clinical social worker with 38 years of experience. She practices in New York and focuses on helping people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and parenting concerns. Her approach is warm and patient-centered, aimed at making the first steps into therapy feel manageable.
She uses client-centered methods to build a trusting space where people can talk through what they are facing. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is part of her work when people want tools to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
Background and approach
Mindfulness techniques are offered to help with stress, sleep, and emotional regulation. Karen has long experience with family dynamics and addiction-related problems and brings that background into conversations about relationships and life transitions. She also addresses grief, trauma and abuse, intimacy issues, ADHD, and work-related stress.
Practical coping skills and clear steps are often part of sessions. Her clinical work includes motivational interviewing to support people who are ready to make changes but feel stuck. She balances problem-solving with an emphasis on each person’s goals and pace.
Outside of work she enjoys outdoor time, kayaking, gardening, and long walks with her Golden Retriever. If someone prefers remote contact, Karen offers multiple ways to connect and guides people through choosing the right format for their needs.
What Karen works with
Everything Karen lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Karen helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Karen lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How Karen blends practical approaches online
Karen uses Client-Centered Therapy to create a respectful, listening-focused space where each person sets the pace and topics. This approach helps anyone who needs clear support while sorting priorities and emotions.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is offered to teach concrete skills for managing anxiety, sleep problems, mood concerns, and unhelpful thought patterns. Sessions using CBT focus on small exercises and steps people can try between meetings.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Karen will talk with each person about their goals, what has worked before, and daily routines, then recommend methods that fit. She adjusts plans as needs and priorities change so the work stays practical and relevant.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for full conversations and visual cues, phone works well when bandwidth is limited, chat fits brief check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make therapy easier to fit around work, parenting, and busy schedules while keeping the focus on steady progress.
Questions people ask about Karen
What concerns does she commonly help with?
She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, parenting worries, relationship strain, trauma and grief among other issues.
What is her style of therapy?
Her style is warm and client-centered, combining active listening with practical tools from CBT and mindfulness when helpful.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 38 years of experience working in clinical settings, including hospital-based practice and community care.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, practicing in New York.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be conducted by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session based on therapist availability.
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