Issues you may be dealing with: grief/loss, anger, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, an affair (having one or affected by one), feeling stuck, wanting to change, frustration, stress, trauma (medical, rape, accident, war), PTSD, abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, verbal), divorce, lack of direction, job loss, fulfilling parole requirements... 

Some of these issues are straight forward:  "I lost my best friend and I need help dealing with the pain."  Others are more complex:  "I don't understand why I am so angry at times."  I can work with you to move through difficult circumstances or assist you in uncovering the "whys" behind certain behaviors and then offer tools to bring about positive changes to the way you relate to yourself and the world around you. 

 I use an eclectic approach to counseling, meaning I mix and match a variety of theories to customize the approach that best suits who you are and what you want to accomplish through counseling.  Some of the theories I draw from are psychodynamic, client-centered, and cognitive behavioral.  I also incorporate Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and principles from Henry Cloud and John Townsend as well as The Hendricks Institute when appropriate.

I'm Karen Thacker (formerly Karen Battista) and I have lived in the Boulder County area since 1989.  I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Counseling.  I have received additional training in EMDR, DBT, The Hendricks Institute Foundations Seminar and Shadow Work Basic Facilitator Training.  In addition, I attended the Ultimate Leadership Intensive and Woman Within Training.  I love the therapeutic process and the amazing ways our minds and emotions work.  Doing your work can provide you with freedom and focus, neither of which may seem attainable from where you stand.  It is possible to heal, to grow, and to move forward.  Call or email me to set up an introductory session and get started on your Journey Forward.