Our Providers | Kara Cress, LMFT

Kara Cress, LMFT

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

Kara Cress is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with specialized expertise in trauma, emotional regulation, and grief processing. She creates a safe therapeutic environment where clients can explore and transform their relationships with difficult emotions and memories. Kara particularly enjoys working with adults of all ages, including older adults, post-college-aged individuals, and teens. She has a history of treating those who are experiencing grief, major life transitions, panic/anxiety attacks and other related anxiety concerns, and those who feel diminished by previous parental, familial, or romantic relationships. She understands the unique developmental and relational factors that influence healing at these critical life stages.

Her therapeutic approach integrates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to create a client-centered approach. This comprehensive framework allows her to address both the psychological and somatic aspects of trauma while helping clients develop the tools needed to process overwhelming emotions. Kara's methodology emphasizes creating a safe environment for exploration and transformation, helping clients move beyond survival into authentic self-expression and emotional connection.

Education & Experience

With a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and specialized EMDR training from Hope International University, Kara has a strong academic foundation combined with evidence-based trauma treatment expertise. Her education has equipped her with a deep understanding of how trauma affects both mind and body, allowing her to provide holistic care that addresses the full spectrum of human experience. This comprehensive training enables her to work effectively with complex presentations involving anxiety, depression, and life transitions while maintaining focus on helping clients connect with their emotions, bodies, and inherent capabilities.

Outside the therapy room, Kara loves rock climbing, backpacking, and surfing—activities that promote healing and renewal through her deep connection with nature and movement. These outdoor adventures provide her with firsthand experience of the healing power she helps clients access, informing her belief in the importance of embodied practices and connection with the natural world as essential components of mental health and authentic living.