and growth.
I am Dr. Kara R. Harrington, Ph.D. a licensed psychologist providing individual virtual psychotherapy in the states of Massachusetts and Florida. This introductory video explains my general approach to treatment and gives you a sense of me. In developing a treatment plan, we would work together to tailor this framework to your specific needs and goals.
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Career
Some questions you may be asking yourself:
We only have one chance at this life.
Helping you discover and clarify your purpose can be joyful work. I consider it an honor to guide you in this journey. In my training as a Counseling Psychologist, I completed advanced training in career counseling. My work regularly includes identifying and clarifying what is important to you and helping you live true to your values. If you would like help with career issues, feel free to contact me for an initial consultation.
Type 1 Diabetes
Managing type 1 diabetes is relentlessly demanding. Life is busy, and diabetes never…ever, lets you have a break. I also know it can be difficult for a parent to know how to support their child with Type 1 diabetes throughout the lifespan, but particularly in adolescence. The preparation for and transition to college can also be an anxiety provoking time. Support is needed to maintain health, prevent burnout, and preserve quality of life.
It makes such a difference when you can work with a psychologist that truly “gets” diabetes.
I completed my post doctoral fellowship at the Joslin Diabetes Center and remained on staff as a clinician and researcher for five years after my training was completed. During this time period, I was dedicated to caring for people diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and their families. Currently, in my private practice, I continue to support this population. If you are looking for help around issue related to diabetes, feel free to contact me for an initial consultation.
Health
The mind and physical health are intrinsically linked. Ancient traditions have understood this connection for centuries. We are starting to understand this even more from an empirical perspective with researchers focusing on areas such as, meditation, light therapy, brain functioning, and gut health. But one fact is clear:
We all have to work to maintain our health.
I have specialized training in Health Psychology and many of my clinical and research endeavors have centered around the connection of physical and mental health. I help people who live with chronic conditions. I also help people who find it difficult to make changes in their life, because the habits they are trying to change, provide some sort of soothing or relief. If you would like help around issues related to your health, feel free to reach out and schedule an initial consultation.
Anxiety
There are so many ways people experience anxiety; “not being able to shut off my brain”, feeling tense, “worrying about everything”, headaches, or stomachaches. It gets to the point where you really learn to live with and accommodate your anxiety and you wonder if there really is another way.
There is another way.
In the treatment of anxiety, I work with both the “background” anxiety and the “spikes” of anxiety that are triggered by everyday events. First, I would seek to lower your baseline anxiety. Together, we will discuss what activities (e.g. meditation, mindfulness, self-care rituals) will help your mind and body spend more time in a relaxed state. Second, we will explore everyday situations that trigger anxiety. You have probably learned to “white knuckle” through these situations or found ways to avoid them altogether. I will introduce strategies that will help you cope and we will also explore why these particular situations get such a response from you.
If you would like help with your anxiety, feel free to reach out and schedule an initial consultation call.
Depression
Some call it a funk, a weight, a haze, a looming cloud. Everything seems to take SO much effort. Depressive symptoms can make life feel like a struggle. You know you have many things to be grateful for, and you remind yourself of this fact, all the time, when you are trying “to pull yourself out of it”. Why can’t you just be happy?
I know how to help with this.
I will teach you strategies that will help lift you a little. You will have moments where you will start to feel yourself again, and then, you will start have more and more of these moments. We will explore why you feel down and whether there are changes that can be made in your life, your relationships, and your perspective that will protect you from having depressive symptoms. We may discuss whether a referral for psychiatric medication would be beneficial.
If you would like help with your depressive symptoms, feel free to reach out and schedule an initial consultation call.
