Kara Holthaus, Heart Centered Therapy LLC

Sessions I work virtually with clients throughout the State of Maryland. Sessions are 50 minutes. I do not accept insurance and am happy to provide a SuperBill for out-of-network reimbursement. My Clinical Orientation My approach is to help you make sense of the influences that taught you about relationships, both with others and with yourself. Together, we explore your family of origin, ancestry, and the larger cultural systems that have shaped you through the lens of compassion and mindfulness. I draw on Attachment Theory, Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), and Compassion Focused Therapy, integrating family systems frameworks and Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPP). I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. I am informed by the family of origin work of Pia Mellody and Kelly McDaniel. I have Conflict Influencer training from the High Conflict Institute. About Me Counseling is a mid-life career pivot for me, inspired by the profound transformation I experienced as a client. I know firsthand the courage it takes to engage in deep therapeutic work, and I hold that process with care and respect. Before becoming a counselor, I worked in operations for a small non-profit and in account management for a large corporation. I grew up in the rural Midwest, but the DMV has been home for many years. Outside of therapy, I enjoy exploring local coffee shops in search of the perfect latte, playing card games with friends and family, and reading non-fiction. I bring to this work both clinical training and lived experience. I identify as a white, cisgender woman and a former Christian who is in recovery from high-functioning codependency. These parts of my identity inform my understanding of shame, people-pleasing, spiritual wounding, and the tension between external success and internal disconnection. I share this because I believe therapy works best when it honors the whole person, including the identities, stories, and systems that shaped us. My goal is to create a space where your experience is welcomed with curiosity, compassion, and deep respect.