Karena is thoughtful, patient, and compassionate in the way she provides care. I have grown so much this past year with her help and partnership and would recommend her without hesitation.
LCSW Karena Franses
Provides online counseling through BetterHelp
Mental health conditions are real, common and treatable.
And recovery is possible.
Karena Franses is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.
More about me
Licensing: LCSW Years in Practice: 28 State: California
Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read my profile page.
It has been my aspiration and commitment through my work life to collaborate with those seeking help and together make every effort to understand what is causing the suffering and in doing so to find some relief from the pain.
I have been a practicing Buddhist for many years, and I meditate daily. I love that His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, “Kindness is my religion," because we all need it, we all benefit from it when we give it and receive it and without it life is just harder and lonelier.
Buddhism informs my life and therefore my work. It has helped bring humility and compassion to my life and work. I believe that the answers to each person’s suffering lies within themselves. Most work involves clearing the clouds that mask the liberation in each of us.
My work life has played out in two quite different areas of care. The first was a county hospital, and the second a private practice, both in San Francisco. I worked for 21 years as a social work supervisor in a busy outpatient HIV clinic with 2,800 patients. Motivational Interviewing was the most effective type of counseling to use with the population we worked with. In the other setting, I had a small psychodynamic self-psychology informed psychotherapy practice, working with individuals and couples. Both settings offered me the opportunity to discover, explore and develop different skills as I encountered the vast diversity of human experience, where pain, trauma, and resilience came together as a gift to be tended with care, love, and compassion.
At the hospital AIDS clinic, we were initially faced with dying patients so much of the work involved just being with the dying. As fewer patients died when the medications improved, we were then faced with issues of severe addiction, trauma, depression, and a population who had experienced ongoing racism, homophobia, poverty, and homelessness. At my private practice, I met with clients who presented also with addiction issues and in addition those with relationship problems, impact of homophobia, body image issues, self-harm, trauma, and abuse.
I could never have imagined such a career when I started out. Now I feel deep appreciation and gratitude to all the clients and patients I served on this path. To all those who shaped my career, and taught me how to be a social worker and therapist through their kind and generous feedback, which at times let me know how much I meant to them, and at other times how I missed an opportunity to be empathic.
I hope we get a chance to meet and explore whatever issues are of most concern to you and together work to clear the clouds and find relief.
Thank you again for your kind attention.
About online counseling
Online counseling allows you to receive care from an online mental health practitioner via phone, video chat, or instant messaging. It is convenient for those who may have trouble getting to or would prefer not to have in-person therapy appointments. Ranging from $60 to $90 per week, online counseling is generally more affordable than in-person counseling. A study by researchers at University of California, Berkeley found that online counseling can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy while being more convenient, affordable, and accessible.
Try online counseling with Karena Franses
Chat now- Issues
- Addictions LGBT Relationship issues Grief Self esteem Stress Anxiety Intimacy-related issues Bipolar disorder Depression Coping with life changes
- Languages Spoken
- English
Services offered
Professional, confidential, and judgment-free
When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation.
Please note: It can take up to 24-48 hours to be matched to a therapist.