Karen Jurls, LICSW
Compassionate, experienced clinical social worker
Details
| Name | Karen Jurls |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LICSW |
| Based in | Alabama |
| Licensed in | Alabama |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 35 |
About Karen
Karen Jurls is a licensed clinical social worker with 35 years of experience who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and life changes. She speaks plainly and listens closely to what matters to each person. Her approach aims to help people feel steadier and more able to handle daily demands.
She draws on Narrative Therapy to help people separate themselves from painful stories and rewrite how they make sense of events.
Background and approach
She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people identify values and take meaningful steps, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thinking and shift behavior. These methods are used in straightforward ways that fit each person’s needs.
Her work has included public health settings and close collaboration with adoptive parents and their children, giving her wide experience with grief, family changes, and attachment concerns. She has supported people coping with trauma, addictions, sleep and eating problems, anger, and career stress. Sessions emphasize practical strategies, clearer communication, and small changes that add up.
Karen helps people set realistic goals and practices between sessions that build new habits. Her style is warm and goal-oriented without jargon. Karen is licensed in Alabama as an LICSW.
She offers sessions in English and provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Getting started involves a short matching questionnaire and scheduling through the Start Therapy button.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Relationship issues, Grief among the things Karen works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coaching
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Personality disorders
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Karen among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Karen directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Karen directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How narrative and action-focused approaches work online
Online sessions draw on Narrative Therapy to help people separate themselves from the stories that cause pain and rethink those stories in more helpful ways. This approach can be useful for family of origin issues, feelings of emptiness, and identity questions.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is used to clarify values and encourage committed steps toward them, even when strong emotions are present. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The therapist collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, needs, and comfort level. Sessions may blend narrative work, values-based exercises from ACT, and practical CBT homework based on what feels most helpful.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different days and rhythms. Video works well for deeper conversations and visual connection, phone calls can fit a break at work or require less bandwidth, and messaging is useful for brief check-ins or carrying on work between sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while balancing life responsibilities.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does this therapist help with?
She helps people address stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, grief, trauma, addictions, sleep and eating problems, anger, career stress, ADHD, and related concerns.
What is the therapy style like?
The style is conversational and goal-focused, using Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to rewrite unhelpful stories, clarify values, and change thoughts and behaviors.
How much experience does the therapist have?
The clinician has 35 years of experience working in mental health and public health settings and has worked closely with adoptive parents and their children.
What are the credentials and location?
She holds an AL LICSW credential and practices from Alabama.
Which languages are supported and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
In what formats are sessions offered?
Sessions are available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does payment and pricing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Karen are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Karen where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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