Karina Fernandez, LCSW

Karina Fernandez is a licensed clinical social worker with 16 years of experience supporting people through hard times. She earned a Master of Social Work and has worked in a range of mental health settings. Her practice focuses on practical help for everyday struggles like anxiety, depression, and grief.

She has long experience helping people affected by trauma, including survivors of violent crime and domestic violence. That background informs how she approaches safety, pacing, and emotional overwhelm in sessions. Karina also supports those dealing with caregiver stress, blended family strain, and the strains that come with aging and geriatric issues.

Her work emphasizes straightforward, skills-based strategies. She uses cognitive behavioral techniques to spot unhelpful thoughts and build new habits. Dialectical behavior strategies are employed to manage intense emotions and reduce impulsive reactions.

Mindfulness practices are offered to help calm the body and steady attention. Sessions follow a client-centered approach, meaning goals and pace are set together. Karina aims to help people identify strengths they already have and use them to move forward.

She offers services in English and Spanish and practices in Tennessee. Therapy is practical and down-to-earth, with a focus on real-life problems like sleep issues, parenting strain, addiction concerns, and stress from life changes.

How her approaches translate to online work

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person's goals and pace, so online sessions begin by asking what matters most and setting clear, achievable steps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches concrete skills to change patterns that cause distress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, offers emotion regulation and distress tolerance techniques that can be practiced between sessions to reduce crises.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will review your concerns, try methods that fit your needs, and adjust the plan together as progress happens. Expect a mix of talking, guided skill practice, and homework tailored to daily life.

This profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around work, caregiving, or mobility limits. It also allows shorter check-ins when schedules are tight and lets people practice skills in the settings where they live and sleep. Ask about session length and scheduling when you complete the matching questionnaire.