Karen Pelligra , LMHC

Karen Pelligra is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York State with 22 years of clinical experience. She has provided counseling across diverse settings including outpatient community mental health clinics, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and home-based family services, bringing a broad understanding of how life circumstances shape emotional health.

Her practice centers on creating a supportive, empowering environment in which people feel heard and respected. She works collaboratively with each person to address concerns such as depression, anxiety, life transitions like divorce or an empty nest, eating disorders, trauma, and a wide range of related issues. Her approach blends multiple evidence-informed techniques to match each person’s needs and goals.

Karen emphasizes partnership in the therapeutic process, helping individuals build coping skills, strengthen relationships, and navigate difficult changes. With a career focused on practical, compassionate care, she aims to help people move from feeling stuck toward meaningful progress and greater resilience.

Therapeutic approaches that work online and in life

Karen Pelligra uses client-centered therapy to create a collaborative, respectful space where the person’s goals and values guide the work. This approach emphasizes listening, empathy, and supporting a person’s own capacity to make meaningful changes, which can help with relationship issues, life transitions, and feelings of emptiness.

She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop practical skills for managing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and panic. CBT focuses on concrete strategies and problem-solving that translate well to online sessions.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques are used when emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness are priorities. DBT offers specific coping tools for intense emotions, impulsivity, and relationship struggles.

Finding the right blend of approaches is part of the therapy process; she works collaboratively with each person to tailor methods to their needs, goals, and preferences. Online formats - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - offer flexibility for fitting therapy into busy lives, allow timely check-ins between sessions, and make it easier to continue care during transitions or when travel is difficult.