Karissa Thomas , LMSW

Karissa Thomas is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) based in Michigan who brings seven years of clinical experience to her practice. She centers each session on listening with curiosity and without judgment, helping clients feel understood while working toward practical, achievable goals. Karissa treats clients as the experts on their own lives and partners with them to develop clear, straightforward strategies grounded in compassion.

Her approach balances empathy with directness, allowing space for both serious work and moments of lightness when appropriate. Karissa encourages honesty and vulnerability as important elements of change, and she supports people navigating a wide range of concerns, including relationship challenges, trauma and abuse, anxiety and depression, addiction, grief, parenting struggles, and issues related to identity and intimacy. She also works with clients on stress management, ADHD, sleep problems, eating concerns, and career-related worries.

Karissa maintains a focus on relational and developmental issues such as attachment, adoption and foster care, abandonment, and blended family dynamics, while also addressing caregiving stress, chronic illness, codependency, and communication difficulties. Her practice is accepting of diverse backgrounds and experiences, and she is open to working with international clients. As an LMSW - a credential that indicates a master's level social worker licensed to provide clinical services - Karissa combines evidence-informed methods with a warm, genuine presence to help clients move forward.

Adapting Evidence-Based Approaches to Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients clarify their values and take committed steps toward a meaningful life even when difficult thoughts or feelings arise. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and navigating life changes by emphasizing action aligned with what matters most.

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns in relationships formed early in life and how those patterns show up now. By exploring attachment styles, clients can improve intimacy, communication, and emotional regulation in current relationships.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes an empathic, nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship where the client’s own goals guide the work. This approach supports self-discovery, self-esteem, and personal growth by creating a space where clients feel heard and respected.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process, and Karissa collaborates with each person to identify which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She adjusts techniques over time, inviting feedback so the plan stays aligned with what the client wants to accomplish.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video or phone, live chat, and text-based messaging make it easier to fit care into a busy life or connect across distances. Those options allow licensed professionals like Karissa to maintain continuity of care, accommodate different communication styles, and make ongoing support more accessible for a variety of schedules and circumstances.