About Karen
Karen Lago-Fairey is a licensed clinical social worker with 45 years in mental health. She practices in New York and brings decades of experience from hospitals, clinics, and long-term independent practice. Karen uses straightforward, compassionate care to help people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, depression, trauma, and relationship concerns.
Her work began in institutional and community settings. Over time she moved into independent practice and has spent the last 23 years seeing clients there.
Background and approach
That background includes supporting people impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault, and working with those who have mood disorders, substance use concerns, and neurologic or organic conditions. Karen describes her style as eclectic and whole-person focused. She draws on several therapy approaches and adapts them to each person’s needs.
Sessions tend to look like listening, identifying patterns, and trying practical steps that can make daily life easier. People who come to Karen often want clear tools as well as space to talk about feelings. She combines short-term strategies with deeper work when helpful.
The goal is to reduce distress and strengthen coping in everyday situations. Her practice pays attention to relationships and life transitions. This includes blended family issues, family of origin concerns, aging and geriatric topics, and intimacy-related struggles.
Karen also addresses obsessions, compulsions, seasonal mood changes, and other focused issues. Sessions are offered in English and are available through multiple online formats. Karen uses her long experience to meet people where they are and help them make practical changes over time.
How Karen’s Approaches Work Online
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and creating a nonjudgmental space. The therapist follows the person’s lead, helps clarify goals, and offers support while the person decides what changes to make. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect. It uses practical exercises to change unhelpful thinking and to try new behaviors that reduce anxiety, low mood, or compulsive actions.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Karen will collaborate with each person to match methods to their current needs and goals. That might mean starting with problem-focused CBT exercises and then shifting to more exploratory, client-centered conversations over time.
Online formats let people fit therapy into busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction when a detailed conversation is needed. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging offer brief check-ins, quicker follow-up, or a way to move therapy forward between longer sessions. These options make it easier to keep momentum and try tools consistently.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also works with
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Blended family issues
- Depression
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Intimacy-related issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Trauma and abuse
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 45 years
- Licensed
- New York
- Languages
- English