Karin Gardner, LICSW, LCSW

Karin Gardner is a licensed clinician who draws on a person-centered, humanistic approach to help people through hard times. She holds LICSW and LCSW credentials and practices in New York. Her work focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, and life changes.

Karin believes people have the ability to make self-directed changes that lead to better relationships and greater emotional balance. In sessions she creates a nonjudgmental space and collaborates with clients to build on their strengths. She uses clear, practical conversation and goal-focused strategies rather than jargon.

Her background includes seven years of clinical work across settings where she supported people coping with chronic and acute illness, caregiver stress, and family conflict. She also addresses issues such as anger, sleep problems, self-esteem, and challenges related to ADHD and bipolar mood concerns.

Karin integrates several evidence-informed methods to match each person’s needs. She draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Attachment-Based work, and client-centered techniques to shape the plan together with the client.

She also offers focused help for aging and geriatric issues, caregiver strain, chronic pain and illness, and cancer-related emotional concerns. Karin emphasizes practical skills, paced change, and steady support so people can manage daily demands and longer-term transitions.

To begin, she asks people to reflect on goals and strengths so sessions stay useful and actionable. Anyone considering therapy with Karin should expect thoughtful listening, collaborative planning, and straightforward steps toward better coping and clearer priorities.

How Karin's approaches shape online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters most to them and take small actions that match those values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and navigating life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical experiments to reduce distress and improve routines like sleep and mood. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in close relationships and how early bonds affect current trust and communication.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Karin will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan over time so sessions feel relevant and useful.

Practical benefits of online therapy often include easier scheduling around work or caregiving, fewer travel demands, and the ability to keep therapy consistent during life transitions. If you are considering working with Karin, confirm current session options before booking so you know what formats are available. The focus will be on fitting therapy into everyday life and building skills that transfer to real situations.