- Grief and end-of-life
- Trauma and anxiety
- Parenting support
About Karen
Karen Santos is a PACFA counsellor with 12 years' experience supporting people through hard times. She works with adults, adolescents and children facing grief, trauma, anxiety, depression and parenting stress. Karen speaks English and Tagalog and practises in Australia.
Her background blends psychotherapy and social work. Recent community mental health case management has informed her practical approach to everyday problems. She helps clients identify what matters to them and find manageable steps forward.
Karen uses several therapy styles to suit different needs. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thoughts and change behaviour. Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps when relationships and emotional connection are central concerns.
She is also developing her work with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and uses narrative ideas to help people make sense of difficult events. Sessions are shaped around what each person finds most useful, pace and preference guiding the focus.
Karen has experience supporting people through grief and end-of-life issues, as well as trauma, abuse and chronic illness. She aims to create a calm, respectful space where people can talk honestly and explore options for coping and healing.
People who choose Karen often want practical tools alongside listening and validation. She encourages curiosity, gentle self-reconnection and small, achievable changes that fit daily life.
Her background blends psychotherapy and social work. Recent community mental health case management has informed her practical approach to everyday problems. She helps clients identify what matters to them and find manageable steps forward.
Karen uses several therapy styles to suit different needs. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thoughts and change behaviour. Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps when relationships and emotional connection are central concerns.
She is also developing her work with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and uses narrative ideas to help people make sense of difficult events. Sessions are shaped around what each person finds most useful, pace and preference guiding the focus.
Karen has experience supporting people through grief and end-of-life issues, as well as trauma, abuse and chronic illness. She aims to create a calm, respectful space where people can talk honestly and explore options for coping and healing.
People who choose Karen often want practical tools alongside listening and validation. She encourages curiosity, gentle self-reconnection and small, achievable changes that fit daily life.
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
Approaches that can be used in online counselling
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to notice thoughts and feelings without getting ruled by them, then choose actions that reflect their values. It can help with anxiety, depression and coping with major life changes. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, warmth and acceptance so people can explore concerns at their own pace; it is useful for building self-esteem and processing grief. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings and actions and offers simple strategies to test and change unhelpful patterns, which helps with stress, anxiety and low mood.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences and how problems show up in daily life. Together they try methods and tweak them until the plan feels useful and realistic.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm the current options before booking. Online counselling can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Many people find remote sessions help maintain continuity of care during life changes and make attending therapy more practical.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Karen commonly help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem, depression and parenting challenges. Additional focus areas include attachment issues, chronic illness, eating concerns and caregiver stress.
What is Karen's therapeutic style like?
Sessions are practical and collaborative, blending listening with clear tools for coping. She adapts methods so people can try approaches that suit their life and goals.
How much experience does she have?
Karen has 12 years of clinical experience working in psychotherapy and social work roles, including community mental health case management.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds PACFA and practises in Australia.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Tagalog.
Can people from other countries work with Karen?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with Karen?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.