Karen Santos, PACFA - Therapist in Australia

Trauma-informed care
Practical coping skills
Works with parents

About Karen

Karen Santos is a PACFA credentialed psychotherapist and social worker with 12 years of clinical experience. She supports adults, adolescents and children through stressful and painful times. Karen focuses on practical steps to ease anxiety, grief, low mood and parenting strain. She also helps people cope with major life changes and disasters.

Her background includes community mental health case management and ongoing trauma counselling work. That experience has shaped a straightforward style that balances emotional support with practical tools. She draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help people notice patterns and build clearer responses.

Karen has undertaken specialised training in the neurobiology of trauma and developmental trauma. She is practising Synergetic Play Therapy for work with children and continues strengthening her skills in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. These combined approaches allow her to tailor work for different ages and needs.

In session she aims to create a calm space where clients can reconnect with what matters to them. Conversations cover current struggles, helpful coping strategies and choices people can try between sessions. She pays attention to relationships, attachment and how past experiences shape present reactions.

Karen speaks English and Tagalog. She works from Australia and brings a steady, practical focus to grief, trauma, depression and parenting support. If you want clear steps and a collaborative approach, she will work alongside you to find what helps.

Therapeutic approaches you can try online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people name what matters to them and take small steps in that direction. It focuses on values, present-moment awareness and willing action rather than perfect control of thoughts. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and offers practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. It is commonly used for anxiety, depression and stress. Client-Centred Therapy emphasises a warm, non-judgemental relationship where the client’s perspective leads the pace of work; this can be helpful when building trust after trauma or loss.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with clients to decide which methods feel most useful. Together they review goals, try different techniques and adjust the plan based on what actually helps in day-to-day life.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy around school, work and appointments, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when life is busy. It also enables continuity of care after disruptive events, which can be important when coping with natural or human-caused disasters. Appropriately qualified therapists can adapt ACT, CBT and client-centred methods to suit online sessions and the client’s practical needs.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Self esteem Depression

Also works with

Parenting issuesCoping with life changes

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stress Chronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disaster Dissociation Domestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counseling Immigration issuesImpulsivityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / loneliness Life purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces Issues Money and financial issues Mood disordersMulticultural concernsPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Narrative TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

12+ years

Credentials

Australia

Languages

English, Tagalog

Frequently asked questions

What issues does Karen commonly help with?

She supports people facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem and depression. Parenting challenges and coping with life changes are also common areas she addresses.

How would you describe her therapy style?

Her approach blends emotional support with practical techniques. Sessions look at patterns, feelings and small experiments clients can use between meetings.

What is her professional background?

Karen has 12 years of experience including community mental health case management and trauma counselling. She works as a psychotherapist and social worker.

What credentials and location are listed?

Her credential is PACFA and she is based in Australia.

Which languages are supported in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English and Tagalog.

Can I have sessions from another country?

International clients are not currently accepted. Sessions are offered to people located in Australia.

How much do sessions cost?

Cost varies with location and therapist arrangements; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I begin if I want to work with her?

Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.