Karen Ausejo, MSW is a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) with more than twenty years of experience in mental health and counselling with a focus on children, adolescents, young adults, and families.
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Karen’s approach is caring, compassionate, genuine, and welcoming. Her sense of humour, spirited energy, and empathy compliment her vast knowledge of human development and the tools needed to reach emotional wellness.
Individuals and families feel comfortable sharing their stories and find support, acceptance, and understanding with Karen. The breadth of her clinical skillset encompasses all developmental stages of growth, from early childhood to adolescence and into adulthood.
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Karen takes a client-centered/family-centered approach in her work, recognizing that trust, collaboration, and a strong therapeutic relationship are vital for treatment to be successful and sustaining. She connects easily with others and is inspired by the strength and resiliency in individuals and families.
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Karen is passionate about working with individuals who have been impacted by trauma and systemic barriers to health and wellness, such as those who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ+. She creates an inclusive, open, and caring space where individuals know they are seen, heard, and respected.
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APPROACH
Services
Expertise in high quality, evidenced-based mental health assessment, treatment, and consultation by a
Child, Youth, and Young Adult Mental Health Therapist
Individual Counselling
Whether you are a young adult (ages 19-30), a teen (ages 13-18), or a child (ages 5-12), Karen understands the challenges that come up at every stage of life and knows the value of having a supportive, space to talk things through. Karen can help problem-solve, give guidance, provide skills, or shift thinking to a more realistic and healthy structure. Creating a safe space to explore one's thoughts and emotions, and using evidence-based treatment methods, Karen's empathy and strengths-based approach help individuals reach their goals of mental wellness and recovery.
Family Therapy
Family therapy helps families build better relationships and communication with one another. Karen provides tools to families to resolve conflicts and develop understanding of the underlying emotional needs of each family member and how this dynamic plays out in the family system. Families become more connected and restored, having discovered their collaborative strengths and developed skills for sustained positive change.
Parent/Caregiver Coaching
Are you at your wits end on how to manage your child's behaviours? Does every conversation with your teen seem to turn into fight? Karen helps parents and caregivers move from frustration, worry, and powerlessness to a place where they become active partners in problem-solving and supporting their child. Parenting/caregiver coaching is particularly helpful when a child/teen refuses to attend individual counselling, when children are very young, and when there are high risk or safety concerns.
RCSW Diagnostic Assessment
As a Registered Clinical Social Worker, Karen qualifies to assess and diagnosis for mental health concerns classified under the DSM-V-TR. Utilizing standardized measures, client and parent/caregiver interviews, and gathering collateral reports/information from schools, hospitals, and community agencies, Karen offers comprehensive, mental health assessment reports with clinical diagnoses and recommendations.
Clinical Supervision
Are you a Clinician feeling stuck on next steps with your client? Experiencing counter-transference and need a space to process this? With over 20 years experience in child, youth, and young adult mental health, and as a former Clinical Coordinator in the community and hospital teams, Karen provides strong clinical guidance and expertise to students, new therapists, and seasoned practitioners.
Complex Case Manager/Advocate
Complex Cases are when individuals have severe emotional and behavioural concerns, requiring wrap-around or multiple community supports. Families often are told to connect to numerous agencies, put their name on waitlists, or are directed to seek services elsewhere. They may feel overwhelmed and burned out. Karen is a passionate advocate, determined to ensure the most vulnerable individuals get the services they need. As a psychiatric social worker, she is able to skillfully navigate the multiple systems and pathways of care. Karen can liaise with and attend care planning meetings with schools, hospitals, and Ministry of Children & Family Development, so parents can take time to rest and focus on taking care of themselves and their children.