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