Self-care begins with understanding what you need
What supports your well-being may look different from what works for someone else. Life Ideals offers a thoughtful way to step back, notice the patterns in your well-being, and better understand what you need right now.
Rather than adding another list of things you “should” be doing, it helps you recognize your strengths, identify areas that may need more support, and consider small, realistic changes that fit your life. The approach is personalized, practical, and grounded in the belief that self-care should support you – not add more pressure to your life.
The Life Ideals
Self-Care Model
Life Ideals is grounded in six essential, evidence-based practices repeatedly shown to reduce stress and increase resiliency – relaxation, mental flexibility, social connection, sleep, physical activity, and nutrition.
The list is not surprising – it is common sense. But in reality, we all have trouble tending to these practices. Self-care is often recommended in mental health and healthcare settings, but it is usually vague. We are told to sleep better, exercise, relax, or connect with others, but we don’t know which area matters most, what is getting in the way, or how to start in a way that fits real life.
The Life Ideals Model turns self-care into something personalized, measurable, and actionable. Drawing on research-backed methods, Life Ideals combines the Assessment and Wellness Dashboard to create meaningful change.
The Assessment evaluates core skills across six practices of self-care and identifies strengths and areas for growth. The Wellness Dashboard invites individuals along with their health practitioners to reflect, set goals, and take realistic next steps to building sustainable habits to support well-being.
More than a score.
A clearer place to begin.
Strengths-supports-growth recommendations
Goal-setting and Reflection
Educational resources and learning modules
Bring Life Ideals
to Your Life and Practice
For Individuals:
Self-Care Assessment
Take the Life Ideals Assessment and access your summary report and wellness dashboard
For Health Practitioners:
Clinical Integration
Explore offerings to become trained in the Life Ideals Model, give your clients / patients access to the assessment and tools, and adopt across your practice
Work with Karen:
Therapy & Trainings
Engage with Karen through individual therapy, professional trainings and the Foundation Series
Working with Karen has been a godsend! With each passing session, I learn more about myself, and perhaps more importantly, I feel better after talking with her, because the jumble of thoughts and feelings actually do matter and are not to be readily dismissed, especially by myself. Emotionally and mentally I may feel drained, and yet, my mind and heart feel lighter and a little less burdened after each session. Between our conversations and working through the lessons and materials provided in her Life Ideals course, I am feeling validated for the situations I've experienced and the multitude of feelings that have been pushed aside for a long period of time. I've cried and I've laughed, I've pondered and I've worried, all of which I've been thankful for, because to me that means I'm finally doing the work for myself and not for anyone else. Although there is still more work to be done, now more than ever before, I know I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for contacting and working with Karen.
LH 
Before starting therapy with Karen, I felt locked in a pattern of feelings and reactions to those feelings. This habitual pattern led to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. I felt stuck and frustrated. Karen has really helped me understand that all feelings are valid and they signal unmet needs. From this awareness, I am now able to work on changing the 'old' patterns and learn more about myself in the process. Thank you, Karen!
Anonymous 
Starting therapy through Life Ideals was one of the best decisions I ever made. I was depressed and didn't know how to fix the way I was feeling. I was overwhelmed on a daily basis and cried almost every night. I was irrationally angry and didn't know how to explain why. After working with Karen, I have found ways to process through my emotions. I have learned to be kind to myself and recognize that sometimes it makes sense to have strong emotions and you can let yourself feel them without letting it spiral out into something unmanageable. I have improved my communication skills and have taken great strides in improving my mental health. The work is hard emotionally, but so worth it!
Chelsae
Karen is an active listener with enormous empathy. She has been helpful at creating more self-understanding and self-empathy. Through therapy, my anxiety and coping skills have improved.
CM
Therapy with Karen has changed my life. I have learned so much about myself and how to restructure my thinking to be more kind and helpful to myself. I have a vast number of strategies that I use and continue to build to help manage my anxiety and stress. I am more functional and manage my thoughts and emotions better after working with and continuing to work with Karen. She is well educated in her field, a great listener, and thoughtful. She always seems to know what to say that will help me restructure my thinking in more helpful and realistic ways while still honoring and validating my feelings and experiences.
John Doe
Unpacking any sort of trauma takes vulnerability; Karen is a kind, compassionate person who makes me feel comfortable enough to be open. She has helped bring awareness to so many pieces of my life through her Life Ideals. I have strategies and a greater awareness of myself and how my brain works, which helps on tougher days. Karen has helped me identify ways to restructure my thoughts so that I have the tools and clarity to live my life more than before I was in therapy. I feel supported when I work with her!
Anonymus
Karen has helped me so much in understanding my struggles w anxiety and self-blame. She is both a thoughtful therapist but also shares books, methods, and a focus on self-resonance using a workbook. These concrete strategies have made me stronger and I am so grateful.
Elizabeth
Karen has been able to open my eyes to certain things I never considered about myself. Getting in touch with my feelings and how they affect my reactions. Karen is very understanding, and I find her easy to talk to.
NP
Karen's warm and empathic approach to our sessions has genuinely changed my life. I have worked with other therapists before, but never one who has taught me as much as Karen has. Before I started therapy, I frequently felt stuck in a cycle of anxiety, confusion, and frustration. Now, I have tools to help me identify my cognitive distortions, restructure my thought patterns, and ultimately be more present for myself. I feel more calm, grounded, and have a greater sense of clarity. The Life Ideals approach has given me greater awareness of how and where to make positive changes in my life that have lasting impacts.
Lexy V.