Karissa Thomas

Karissa Thomas is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) based in Michigan who helps people navigate a wide range of struggles. She aims to listen first and make clients feel heard. Her approach is straightforward and kind, with a focus on practical steps that people can use in daily life.

Clients can bring things like anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship concerns, grief, stress, or questions about identity and intimacy. She also supports those facing challenges such as addiction, ADHD, chronic illness, caregiving strain, body image concerns, and parenting stress. Intellectual disability is listed among her focus areas and is considered alongside other personal and health-related challenges.

Karissa works in a nonjudgmental, curious way. She treats people as the experts on their own lives and helps them clarify goals. Sessions aim to combine compassion with direct feedback and simple strategies to try between meetings.

Her style is practical and occasionally lighthearted; she is comfortable using humor when it fits. Over seven years of practice, Karissa has developed an approach that balances emotion-focused listening with skills-based tools. She encourages honesty and openness as part of progress.

People who choose her can expect a collaborative process that looks at what matters most to them. Karissa focuses on helping clients take manageable steps forward while honoring their lived experience and personal values.

How therapeutic approaches guide online sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice what matters to them and take small steps in that direction even when feelings are hard. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to change patterns that keep problems going. It is often used for anxiety, mood concerns, and sleep issues.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Karissa will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals and comfort level. That may mean trying ACT tools one week and practicing CBT skills the next, so therapy fits the person rather than forcing a single method.

This profile does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm the available options before booking. In general, online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. It can also help people use tools in the moment at home or at work, such as practicing a new communication skill between tasks. Talk with the therapist during the matching process to pick approaches and practical arrangements that suit everyday life.