Kara Gause
M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling
M.A.T. English and Theatre
As a writer, content editor, and educator, Kara spent nearly two decades of her professional life immersed in story. She believes each of our lives holds a valuable narrative of its own, one with twists and turns, highs and lows, joy and sorrow. But it’s the stories we tell ourselves and the meaning we make of them that can be most damaging: “I’m a failure… No one sees me… They’d hate me if they knew the real me… I’ll never get past this.” Negative self-talk like this keeps all of us stuck and spinning. Kara’s compassion for our shared human experience has convinced her of this: truly, no one’s story is beyond redemption and restoration, growth and healing.
The process begins by creating a safe, working relationship with her clients. The next step is to learn practical mindfulness skills to reduce surface-level concerns, manage stress, and improve the quality of day-to-day life. Sometimes it’s necessary to make new meaning of the past to reframe the here-and-now. So, the work might shift to healing past wounds that still feel very present, and then establishing healthier ways of coping individually and in relationships. The goal is for clients to look toward the rest of their story with a new kind of hope and curiosity about its potential.
Kara enjoys helping clients work through any number of concerns, such as: anxiety and depression, relational and communication issues, addiction, complex trauma, intimacy recovery, and spiritual and existential crises. Her integrative approach is trauma-informed and framed by attachment theory and practical interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Integrative Arts, a Master’s in Teaching English and Theatre, and a Master’s in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling. She works with adult individuals, couples, and dynamic groups where healing and change occur within a community of peers. Nashville has been home for 20 years, where she lives with her husband, their twin daughters, and a sleepy Basset hound named Moses.