Works with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Depression
How Karen works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- California
- Years in practice
- 7
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Karen
Karen Gudino-Gutierrez is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in California who uses practical, skills-focused therapy to help people manage strong emotions. She works with stress, anxiety, grief, anger, low self-esteem, and depression. Karen speaks both English and Spanish and brings seven years of experience to her practice.
Her approach centers on clear, usable tools. She often draws from cognitive behavioral therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and DBT skills to manage intense feelings.
Background and approach
Mindfulness and motivational techniques are woven in to build awareness and keep momentum toward change. Sessions are collaborative and tailored. Karen listens for what is most important to each person and then creates a short-term plan that fits their goals.
This can include practicing new coping skills, changing patterns in thinking, or setting small achievable steps toward better routines. She also addresses a wide range of life concerns beyond mood and stress. These include attachment and abandonment worries, caregiver strain, chronic illness and pain, codependency, communication problems, and issues around trust, infidelity, or forgiveness.
Karen aims to help people feel less stuck and more able to make choices that match their values. People can expect straightforward conversation and practical homework between sessions. Her style is compassionate and direct, focused on what will lead to meaningful change in day-to-day life.
What Karen works with
Everything Karen lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Karen's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Karen lists
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How these approaches work in online therapy
Karen commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy as part of online work. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps people spot unhelpful thoughts and try new, more balanced ways of thinking to reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms. Dialectical behavior therapy offers concrete emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills that are useful for managing anger and intense feelings.She may also use mindfulness techniques to help people notice their moment-to-moment experience and motivational interviewing to build readiness for change. Choosing the right mix is a shared process - the therapist will talk with the client about goals, try approaches, and adjust plans based on what feels most helpful and practical.
Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video sessions allow face-to-face interaction for skills practice. Phone sessions can be an easier option when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging work well for quick updates, brief support, and between-session coaching. These formats make it simpler to fit therapy into busy lives and keep progress steady.
Questions people ask about Karen
What concerns does she help with?
She helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, anger, low self-esteem, and depression. She also addresses issues like abandonment, attachment, caregiver stress, chronic illness, codependency, and relationship problems.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is practical and collaborative, using short-term plans and skill practice. Sessions focus on clear tools people can use between meetings to manage emotions and solve problems.
How much experience does she have?
She has seven years of professional experience working with a range of emotional and life challenges. That background informs her use of several evidence-based techniques.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in California. Sessions are offered to people within that regional scope.
Which languages are offered for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
What session formats are available?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options can be chosen to fit different schedules and communication preferences.
How does cost and payment work?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. Specific pricing depends on the plan selected.
How do I start therapy with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. Then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.