Kara Holthaus, LGPC

(She/Her)

Philosophy and Approach: 

I am interested in working with clients who may be skeptical about counseling and are curious about cyclical relational patterns with others and their Self. I enjoy working with all ages of adults. My approach is to be curious about the context for how a client came to be in this world, and how they have learned to be in relationship with others and themselves. This includes family of origin, ancestry, and greater systems of culture. This is based in Attachment Theory, Interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB), and family systems frameworks. I value approaches and modalities from Compassion Focused Therapy and Interpersonal Processing (IPP). I am trained in EMDR. I am also experienced in the family of origin work of Pia Mellody and Kelly McDaniel. 

Who I am: 

Counseling is a mid-life career pivot for me inspired by my own transformative experience as a client. I have an undergraduate degree in economics and previously worked in operations for a small non-profit and account management for a large corporation. I grew up in the rural Midwest but the DMV has been home to me as an adult. I love exploring coffee shops in search of a good latte. A favorite pastime is playing card games with friends and family. I enjoy learning and prefer reading non-fiction, but am always trying to cultivate a taste for fiction.