Counsellor profile
Karen Santos, PACFA
Australia
Psychotherapist and social worker - stress and trauma
Continue with KarenWhere Karen stands
- Credentials
- PACFA
- Registration
- PACFA, Australia / 23261
- Experience
- 12 years
- Languages
- English, Tagalog
- Location
- Australia
About
- ACT approaches
- CBT techniques
- Emotion-focused work
About Karen
Karen Santos is a PACFA-credentialed psychotherapist and social worker in Australia with 12 years' experience. She works with adults, adolescents and children who are dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem and depression. She also supports people facing parenting challenges and major life changes.
Her background includes community mental health case management and ongoing trauma counselling practice. That work influenced how she plans sessions: clear steps, practical skills, and time to talk through what matters most. She uses familiar language and keeps interventions straightforward so people can apply them between sessions.
Karen’s clinical toolbox includes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Emotionally-Focused Therapy, and she is strengthening her practice in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She has training in the neurobiology of developmental trauma and Synergetic Play Therapy, which informs how she approaches attachment and childhood-related issues.
Sessions often focus on rebuilding a sense of self, learning to set boundaries, managing worry or low mood, and working through grief or painful memories. She pays attention to how the body and emotions connect, and uses narrative techniques to help people reframe difficult experiences. Practical coping strategies are paired with chances to make new choices in relationships and daily life.
Conversations can be in English or Tagalog. Karen asks new clients to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session so she can understand immediate needs and plan next steps.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy encourages noticing thoughts and values-based action rather than getting stuck in worry. It can help people who struggle with people-pleasing or avoiding hard choices by focusing on what matters to them. Client-Centred Therapy prioritises listening and responding to a person's experience, offering space for the client to lead what they want to work on. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy breaks patterns into thoughts, feelings and behaviours and helps people try practical alternatives to reduce worry or low mood.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Karen will talk through goals and preferences and together decide which methods to try. That collaborative planning can change over time as different tools are tested and adjusted to fit ongoing needs.
The practical benefits of online work include fitting sessions into a busy life, shorter check-ins when needed, and options for quieter or less visually demanding conversations. The therapist's specific session formats are not listed here, so please confirm current session options before booking. Online sessions aim to make it easier to access regular support while balancing school, work and family commitments.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
12+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English, Tagalog
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, low self-esteem and depression, plus parenting and coping with life changes.
How would you describe her therapy style?
She uses practical, step-by-step work with room to talk things through and apply skills between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She has 12 years of clinical experience, including community mental health case management and trauma counselling.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is PACFA-credentialed and based in Australia.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and Tagalog.
Can I work with her from outside Australia?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe at home, use the crisis and helpline numbers.