Karen Appell, M.Ed., LPC
Karen Appell is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), practicing under the supervision of Karen Conkey, LPCC-S. Holding an additional license in School Counseling, she comes from a background of providing emotional, social, and educational support to elementary-aged / pre-adolescent children and their families in the public-school setting. Though most of her counseling experience has consisted of working with young children and their families, Karen’s recent transition into clinical mental health counseling has sparked a passion for counseling adults in various stages of their lives. She recognizes that, regardless of age, we all have emotional and social needs that must be met in order for us to heal, grow, and succeed.
Karen received her Master of Education in School Counseling from Kent State University and completed her Post Master’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at John Carroll University. Her therapeutic approach is emotion-focused, humanistic, and grounded in Attachment Theory, often utilizing developmentally appropriate CBT and DBT interventions. Treatment plans are created collaboratively with clients and are driven by each client’s individual situation and needs. Karen believes that her ability to build a strong therapeutic relationship…one in which her clients feel safe, valued, and accepted…is her greatest strength. She believes that the counseling environment should feel like a safe haven for clients, while promoting exploration, catharsis, healing, and growth. She has worked with clients that present with many different social, emotional, and mental health concerns such as: anxiety, depression, mood and adjustment difficulties, emotional dysregulation, relationship difficulties, trauma, and grief/loss.
Favorite Quote
“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” ― Fred Rogers
Contact
Position:
Elementary Aged/Pre-Adolescent Children and Family Therapist
Address:
8224 Mentor Ave. Suite 208
Mentor Ohio 44060
Email:
kappell@behavioralwellnessgroup.com
Phone:
440-392-2222 EXT 868
Fax:
440-565-2349
Testimonials/Reviews
Testimonial Disclosure Statement: Testimonials herein are unsolicited, anonymous and are received after care has been received in an attempt to assure healthy therapy relationships and confidentiality.
Articles
Pressing the Pause Button: Managing Distress with Mindfulness
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, we often find ourselves swept away by the currents of stress and anxiety. It can feel like we’re caught in a whirlwind in these moments, reacting instinctively rather than responding thoughtfully. However, there is a simple yet effective tool at our disposal: the power of pressing the pause button. By consciously choosing to pause, we can shift from a reactive state driven by our primal instincts to a more mindful approach rooted…
Winter 2024 Seasonal Letter
Best Wishes to you and yours as we enter the New Year! The Behavioral Wellness Group remains committed to you and the care of your clients in this New Year! Thanks to your ongoing confidence in us, BWG has increased our number of therapists and services in other states (see website above for details) to meet the demands of our clientele. Our programs are CARF Re-Accredited for the maximum allowable duration which is a testament to our commitment to meeting…
Becoming More of a Positive Person In Today’s World
We often hear about how we need to engage in physical exercise in order to be healthy. There are many options for physical exercise. We can do aerobic exercise to increase breathing and heart rate; there are anaerobic options which strengthen muscles; flexibility exercises stretch muscles and help keep us limber; balance exercises are very important to prevent falls, especially as we age. All of these activities strengthen and reprogram specific parts of the brain. However, how often do we…
Stress and Anxiety Management the DBT Way
Anxiety and stress appear to be the next pandemic. I see so many people who are anxious, overwhelmed, edgy, panicky, full of worry, and always tense. If any of these words describe you and leave you with a constant feeling of uneasiness to all-out panic, you could be suffering from poor stress management. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or DBT was developed by Marsha Linehan in the 1970s. She had her own experiences with mental illness that perhaps gave her a unique…
Coping with Grief during the Holiday Season
“What am I going to do if something reminds me of Grandpa?” “Who is going to help me decorate the Christmas tree this year?” “I don’t have the energy or the desire to do the things I usually do during the holidays.” If you are someone who has lost a loved one, these may be some of the thoughts that are running through your mind. Although the holidays are usually associated with happiness, joy, smiles and laughter for most individuals,…
When Seasonal Changes Affect Your Moods
Seasonal Affective Disorder How does one distinguish between winter blues and more serious conditions? Many feel sluggish or down during Fall and Winter months. The winter blues are pretty common. If this sadness is profound, it may be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of depression which results from decreased light during the darker Fall and Winter months. With decreased sunlight, our internal biological clocks are thrown off, and it feels as though everything is…