Welcome - I'm so glad you're here. 

I'm Karen Wise, a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s in Counseling and over 30 years of experience helping people transform their lives from the inside out.

I grew up in a family that worked hard to look picture-perfect to the outside world, but behind closed doors, there was turmoil and pain no one wanted to talk about. I became the family scapegoat — the one who carried the unspoken hurt — and somewhere along the way, I learned to turn that pain inward and hate myself. As an adult, I unconsciously recreated those patterns, choosing relationships where I settled for crumbs of love and attention, with people who couldn’t truly see or value me.

Even after I became a therapist, I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t making healthier choices. I tried many therapists, but nothing truly changed. It wasn’t until I found two extraordinary mentors in Al-Anon — and later began working with a psychedelic-medicine-trained therapist — that things started to shift. Slowly, I became more present, more whole. I began to inhabit my body, trust my feelings, and choose relationships that were good for me. That process changed my life.

Personal therapy has been my greatest teacher. Sitting on the other side of the chair taught me what real vulnerability feels like. It taught me that opening up is an act of courage, and that true healing requires more than insight — it takes a willingness to lean into deep, often uncomfortable work.

Now, after more than 30 years as a therapist, I understand what it takes to truly heal. I work with people who are ready to stop putting band-aids on their pain and start transforming it. I specialize in complex trauma, attachment wounds, and the impact of growing up in narcissistic or dysfunctional family systems — and I also help people with less complicated struggles who still want to live with more freedom, clarity, and connection.

My style is warm, interactive, and direct. I don’t just sit and nod — I’m engaged, present, and deeply invested in your process. I believe healing is possible for anyone who commits to it. And while the work is hard — and you may feel worse before you feel better — the reward is profound: freedom, authenticity, and a life that feels like it truly belongs to you.