- Trauma aware
- Parenting support
- ACT and CBT approaches
About Karen
Karen Santos is a PACFA-credentialled psychotherapist and social worker based in Australia. She has 12 years of practical experience helping people who are carrying heavy emotional load. Her work includes supporting people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem, depression, parenting challenges and life changes.
Karen uses straightforward, practical methods in session. She listens closely, helps people name what matters most, and builds small, usable steps for change. Sessions often focus on skills that can be practised between meetings and on understanding how past experiences shape present feelings.
Her background includes community mental health case management and ongoing work in trauma-informed counselling. That hands-on experience informs how she plans care and stays focused on everyday problems. She has training in trauma neurobiology, Synergetic Play Therapy, cognitive behavioural approaches and emotionally-focused methods, and she is continuing to develop skills in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Karen is comfortable supporting adults, adolescents and children. She aims to create a calm space where people can reconnect with their own strengths. She also works with issues linked to adoption and foster care, attachment and abandonment, caregiver stress, chronic illness, eating concerns and relationship communication problems.
Sessions are offered in English and Tagalog. The usual way to begin is to use the site Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a time that suits the person's needs.
How therapeutic approaches adapt to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It is useful when someone feels stuck or uncertain about life direction. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and practising different responses to change mood and behaviour. It is commonly used for anxiety, depression and stress. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) centres on understanding emotional patterns that affect close relationships and can be helpful when communication feels stuck or painful.Choosing the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what has worked or not worked before. Together they decide which methods to try and check in regularly to adjust the plan based on progress and changing needs.
The biography does not specify which online formats are offered, so confirm current session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. They also let people use quieter surroundings or avoid being on camera if that helps them focus. Appropriately qualified therapists can adapt ACT, CBT and EFT tools for remote work so people can practise skills between appointments and keep momentum between sessions.
Areas of focus
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Karen commonly help with?
She supports people managing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem and depression. Parenting difficulties and coping with major life changes are also common areas of focus.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is practical and down-to-earth. She listens, helps identify small steps, and focuses on skills that can be used between sessions.
What experience does she bring to sessions?
She has 12 years of experience that include trauma counselling and community mental health case management. That background shapes how she plans and adapts care.
What credentials and region are listed?
She holds PACFA credentials and practises in Australia.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Tagalog.
Can people outside Australia work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
What is the process to start therapy?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.