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KD Portrait of Kara Denahan

Kara Denahan

Compassionate, experienced therapist focused on growth

LMFT Rhode Island

Experience
23 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Attachment-Based Therapy
Languages
English
Continue with Kara

About Kara

Kara Denahan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Rhode Island with 23 years of clinical experience. She began her professional path after earning a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Rhode Island and later opened a independent practice.

Background and approach

Over two decades of work have shaped a practice that integrates relational understanding, mindfulness, and evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients address a wide range of concerns. Kara blends client-centered attention with trauma-focused and attachment-informed perspectives, drawing on training in Internal Family Systems and mindfulness practice to support emotional regulation and self-acceptance.

Her work is informed by ideas from polyvagal theory and interpersonal neurobiology, and she brings these influences into practical tools for stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, addiction, depression, bipolar concerns, and life transitions. She currently provides individual therapy and emphasizes a collaborative, compassionate process aimed at uncovering underlying patterns and building skills for coping and well-being.

How evidence-informed approaches translate to online care



Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and adjusting unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors to reduce distress and improve daily functioning. It is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and sleep problems and emphasizes practical skills and homework that translate well to remote sessions.

Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relational patterns influence current relationships and emotion regulation. This approach helps clients understand connection and trust issues and can guide work on communication, intimacy, and family dynamics in a collaborative format online.

Finding the right approach is an active part of the therapeutic process and Kara collaborates with each person to tailor methods to their goals, preferences, and life situation. She draws on CBT, attachment perspectives, mindfulness, and trauma-focused ideas to create a plan that fits the client rather than applying a single method across the board.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing clients to attend from home or other convenient locations and to choose the format that matches their schedule and comfort. These options make it easier to sustain ongoing work, practice skills between sessions, and access consistent support when life is busy or in transition.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?
Kara works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy-related difficulties, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, depression, bipolar concerns, ADHD, and life transitions.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach combines client-centered care with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness practices, attachment-informed work, and trauma-focused techniques to help clients build skills and insight.
How long has she been practicing?
She brings 23 years of clinical experience, including years in independent practice following graduate training in marriage and family therapy.
Where is she licensed and what are her credentials?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the Rhode Island credential RI LMFT MFT00080 and provides services from Rhode Island.
Does she provide services in other languages or accept international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Clients may meet through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on their needs and scheduling.
How are sessions paid for and what does cost look like?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are arranged through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemCoping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDissociationFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

23+ years

Licensed

Rhode Island

Languages

English