Relationship & Individual Therapy

KAREN A. NERI, JD, MA

counseling@concinnitytherapy.com | 503.208.4687

We come to know ourselves best in the context of our relationships. Yet, as cared for and loved we are by partners or family members, we may find ourselves feeling inadequate, abandoned, or alone in our relationships. We may also feel worried and frustrated for being unheard or misunderstood. We may take our anger out on them, or at ourselves, and find a growing distance between us and the people that matter to us. We might even feel as if we have lost a part of ourselves. If any of these ring true for you, or someone you know, these are the areas where I can be of help.

I am a relational counselor/therapist with an orientation towards social justice, and hold an interest in how we can disrupt environments or situations that impact our connection and well-being. l have long worked with folks on matters that affect their relationships and personal lives; first as a counselor at law, and presently, as a psychotherapist. I am here to support you and help you navigate relational struggles, emotionally connect with your loved one(s), and (re)discover a path through your pain.

I do my best to offer a collaborative, culturally responsive, and supportive space in which to explore your concerns, address shame/unworthiness, examine the role of power, privilege, or oppression, and strengthen your relationships. Together, we can work towards achieving the change you desire in your relationships that allow for healing and recovery.

In addition to partners and adult family members, I work with individuals as it relates to their relationships with themselves and/or their life challenges such as anxiety, depression, grief/loss, emotional regulation, stress, trauma, cultural/racial identity, or a critical self view.

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Concinnity means the harmonious arrangement or fitting together of different parts, creating a whole. I see therapy as an opportunity to mindfully integrate not just the multiple parts of ourselves but also those parts of us that exist within our social context so that we may live fully and whole.

Babaylan (healer), Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines)One of a series of four paintings by muralist Carlos “Botong” Francisco depicting a shaman priestess/healer in pre-colonial Philippines holding a h… — *Babaylan (healer), Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines)*
*One of a series of four paintings by muralist Carlos “Botong” Francisco depicting a shaman priestess/healer in pre-colonial Philippines holding a healing ritual.* Image credit: XiaoChua.net

You are not alone in your struggles. I invite you to connect with me.

I am currently not taking on new clients.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me by email.

I am able to offer in-person therapy sessions and telehealth using a HIPAA secure platform.

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- Services -

Couples/Relationship Therapy

Individual Therapy

Adult Family Therapy

“Love heals. Heals and liberates. I use the word love, not meaning sentimentality, but a condition so strong that it may be that which holds the stars in their heavenly positions and that which causes the blood to flow orderly in our veins.”

— Maya Angelou

Philosophy & Approach

I believe that people are resilient social beings. We each have the capacity to bounce back from challenges, maintain positive experiences, and grow from our experiences despite life stressors. At our core is our need for security and connection; both of which are crucial to our well-being. The manner we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us can affirm or disaffirm our feelings of safety, acceptance and belonging. To this end, I see that we primarily interact with the world through our emotions and bodies as experienced by our senses, processed by our thoughts, and reconciled by our language. It is from the place of social interdependence that we create a meaningful reality and experience an ultimate sense of well-being.

My therapeutic approach is to experientially guide clients towards their resilience, identify obstacles or blocks, to extend hope, and to empower them in creating narratives that allow for a fulfilling and satisfying life. I view clients in the context of their attachment history, family, racial/ethnic identity, culture and social environment. I intentionally work with emotions to strengthen bonds in relationships, rely on the wisdom of the body to address trauma, and promote strength-based thinking.

“History is not the past, it is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history.”

— James Baldwin