Karen Bradt , LCSW

Karen Bradt is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with a focus on trauma and anxiety-related conditions, bringing 15 years of clinical experience to her practice in Florida. She completed a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work at the University of Central Florida, along with a certificate in Addictions, and she is also a certified trauma professional. Her work has included support for people coping with anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality features, depression, histories of physical and sexual abuse, self-harm, and other complex traumas.

Her approach blends traditional talk therapy with psychoeducation about how trauma affects the brain, and practical tools designed to shift automatic reactions to triggers. She emphasizes that anxious responses are understandable protective patterns rather than signs of being "crazy," and she encourages clients to experiment with new techniques while collaborating on what fits best for each person. Physical activity and overall health are also part of her perspective; she draws on personal experience as a hiker and former Florida Trail activity leader to encourage movement that supports mood and resilience. She is wilderness first aid certified and often integrates real-world, achievable steps alongside therapeutic work.

Karen typically begins by learning what a person wants to change, then offers education about diagnoses and brain function before introducing small, manageable behavioral steps. She asks clients to try techniques and to give feedback so interventions can be adjusted. During winter months in the mountains she may limit video scheduling because of frequent power outages - clients who prefer video are invited to indicate that preference. Occasionally requests are removed before she has time to respond; such occurrences are not a refusal to work with a person.

Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Therapeutic Support

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape expectations and emotional responses in close connections; in online sessions Karen explores patterns of attachment to help people understand relationship difficulties, abandonment concerns, and intimacy challenges and to build more secure ways of relating. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) centers on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors; it is practical and skill-oriented, often used for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes by teaching tools to manage symptoms and test new ways of responding. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the client as the expert on their own experience and uses empathic listening and collaboration to help people find their own solutions and build self-esteem.

Karen approaches choice of method as a collaborative process - she will work with each person to determine which approaches fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and adjust techniques as progress and feedback guide the work. The selection of methods evolves with the therapeutic relationship rather than being fixed up front.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can occur by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate schedules, mobility, and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, try different formats, and access licensed professionals and therapists from wherever a person is located within the permitted service area.