Karen Lakritz

Experienced LCSW blending warmth with practical care

LCSW Florida

Experience: 30 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Bipolar, Depression
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Karen

Karen Lakritz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with three decades of experience providing psychotherapy. She has supported people facing a broad range of challenges including depression, anxiety, substance use connected to loneliness, grief and loss, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

Background and approach

Her career has also involved work with issues such as trauma, relationship and intimacy concerns, eating and sleeping difficulties, ADHD, and compassion fatigue, as well as many related areas like caregiver stress, chronic illness, attachment issues, and codependency. Her therapeutic manner is described as warm and supportive, blending respect, sensitivity, and compassion with an emphasis on accountability.

She draws on cognitive behavioral techniques along with client-centered, acceptance and commitment, attachment-informed, and dialectical methods to tailor care to each person. Karen notes lived experience with a mild stutter and dyslexia, and she brings that perspective to her work with non-neurotypical clients.

Based in Florida and accepting international clients, she offers a collaborative process that focuses on practical steps and realistic goals while acknowledging that meaningful change takes effort and commitment.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Karen integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) into her online practice. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and building practical skills to change behavior and emotional responses, which can help with anxiety, depression, and many everyday challenges. ACT emphasizes values-guided action and learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to meaningful steps forward, useful for stress, chronic concerns, and life transitions.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and she works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaboration includes discussing techniques, pacing, and what progress looks like so the plan evolves with the client's experience.

Online sessions are available via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for people juggling work, caregiving, or geographic constraints. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care and to fit regular sessions into busy schedules while allowing licensed professionals to adapt tools and exercises to the medium that suits the client best.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Karen address?

She works with a wide spectrum of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, addictions, grief, trauma, relationship and intimacy challenges, ADHD, and many related concerns listed in her profile.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

The approach is warm and supportive, emphasizing respect, sensitivity, compassion, and accountability while collaborating with clients to meet their goals.

What is her clinical background and experience?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 30 years of experience working with diverse mental health and life challenges.

What credential and location information is provided?

The therapist holds the credential LCSW and is identified as FL LCSW SW5585, practicing from Florida.

Does she work with international clients or in other languages?

She accepts international clients and provides services in English.

Which session formats are available for therapy?

Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences.

How is cost handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What steps are involved in beginning therapy?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyBipolar disorderDepression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse GriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivity Isolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

30+ years

Licensed

Florida

Languages

English