Karina is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who earned her Master of Social Work degree from California State University, Fullerton, with an emphasis in community mental health. She also holds a Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC) and has experience supporting children, adolescents, and young adults from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Her clinical experience includes working with individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, behavioral challenges, substance use concerns, and life transitions.
Karina believes that therapy should be a space where people feel seen, heard, and comfortable showing up as their authentic selves. She approaches her work with compassion and curiosity, recognizing that each person brings a unique story, strengths, and challenges into the room. Through therapy, Karina hopes to help clients deepen their understanding of themselves, recognize their capabilities, and discover new ways to navigate life’s hardships. As a first-generation daughter of immigrant parents, her own lived experience also informs her appreciation for the ways culture, family, and life experiences shape who we are and how we move through the world.
Karina draws from a variety of evidence-based and relational approaches to support each client’s unique needs, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, attachment-based interventions, and strengths-based and solution-focused strategies. Her trauma-informed approach emphasizes safety, connection, and emotional regulation. Karina is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapeutic approach that can help individuals process distressing experiences and reduce the emotional impact of difficult memories.
Karina recognizes that parents and caregivers play an important role in a child’s therapeutic journey. She values their collaboration and works alongside families to strengthen communication, deepen understanding, and reinforce the skills children and adolescents develop in therapy. She strives to create an environment where both young people and their families feel supported, respected, and included in the process of meaningful change.
Outside of the therapy room, Karina enjoys singing, curling up with her cats, sipping coffee, and getting lost in a good book. Harry Potter is her comfort movie, but she’s also a big Marvel enthusiast! Whether she’s getting lost in a fictional world or just taking it slow, Karina appreciates the opportunity to unwind and recharge with the things she loves.
*Hablo español
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Karina is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCS 136882, in the State of California. Contact Karina: Via email at KGonzalez@therapycompassrose.com – Via telephone at (714) 681-2802