Kara Denahan , LMFT

Kara Denahan, LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Rhode Island with 23 years of clinical experience working with individuals across a wide range of life challenges. She offers individual therapy rather than couples work and is not accepting new clients at this time.

Kara's path to therapy began after completing a Bachelor of Science in Design with a specialty in Photography. In her mid-thirties she returned to graduate school to study Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Rhode Island, earning a Master of Science degree in 1997. After several years of practice with other agencies, she established a private practice where she could integrate clinical training with contemplative practice.

Mindfulness and meditation became central to Kara's work after joining a meditation group inspired by the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Those practices - including learning about interbeing, acceptance, and presence - deepened her capacity to engage with clients with calm attention and compassion. She also completed Level I (2010) and Level II (2012) training in Internal Family Systems, a model that describes the mind as composed of distinct parts and emphasizes connection with a wise, compassionate Self.

Kara draws on modern developments in attachment theory, polyvagal concepts, and interpersonal neurobiology, and integrates insights from teachers such as Deb Dana, Daniel Siegel, Rick Hanson, Martha Beck, and Brené Brown. She approaches therapy as a collaborative, individualized process, helping people explore options, uncover resources, and move toward greater ease and purpose in their lives.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Kara Denahan

Kara Denahan integrates attachment-based work and mindfulness into her clinical approach. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape patterns of connection and emotional response, and it helps people improve trust, intimacy, and communication in relationships. Mindfulness Therapy emphasizes present-moment awareness, breath and body practices, and learning to relate to thoughts and feelings with openness - methods that can reduce reactivity and support emotional regulation. She also uses client-centered principles that prioritize the client's perspective, fostering a respectful, nonjudgmental space to explore goals and values.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Kara works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit best with their needs, goals, and personal preferences, adjusting techniques over time as progress unfolds. Licensed professionals often blend approaches to suit individual circumstances rather than relying on a single model.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility: sessions can take place by video call or phone, and shorter interactions can occur via live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to access therapy from home, accommodate busy schedules, and maintain continuity of care across life changes, while allowing therapists and clients to focus on meaningful, goal-oriented work.