Karen is a Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology program at Fielding Graduate University and a registered psychotherapist. She has over 25 years of experience in child welfare and providing assessment and treatment. Karen has previously worked with families, children, and adolescents through the Children’s Aid Society, community mental health centres, mental health residential programs, the Geneva Centre for Autism, Alliance Youth Services Inc., Mills Professional Psychology Corp., and in private practice.
Karen works from a trauma-informed perspective and is strongly influenced by neuro-behavioural and attachment theories. Depending on the client’s needs and preferences, she utilizes a range of evidence-based treatment approaches such as Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) when working with children, adolescents, and families.
Karen has extensive experience working with individuals with complex needs and is passionate about empowering parents and families/caregivers to support children, adolescents, and adults with mental health difficulties. She is particularly interested in working with families, children, and adolescents with complex trauma, intellectual and developmental disabilities, emotional and behaviour challenges, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anxiety and/or depression.

In addition to Karen’s professional clinical experience, she was an Adjunct Professor at Seneca College in the Behavioral Sciences program. She taught several courses ranging from Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lifespan and Development (Psychology), to Child Welfare and Diversity Awareness. Karen has provided local and international training and consultation on FASD and complex behaviour. She is a Nishnawbe Aski Nation Traveling Team member, providing training and consultation on FASD to 49 remote Northwestern and Northeaster communities in Ontario. Karen is also the co-author of the textbook Essentials of Understanding Psychology 5th Canadian Edition, used in introductory psychology classes in colleges across Canada.