Mindful Growth Psychology, APC
Karen Lese-Fowler, Ph.D.
Trauma Therapy, EMDR, Anxiety Treatment, and Relationship Support for Adults
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Trauma, Anxiety & Grief Therapy in Old Town, San Diego
I’m Dr. Karen Lese-Fowler, a licensed psychologist (PSY16282) and EMDRIA-certified EMDR therapist. I offer in-person sessions in Old Town, San Diego and online therapy adults throughout California, with a focus on trauma and PTSD, anxiety, grief and loss, relationship concerns, and life transitions. I’m LGBTQIA+ affirming, culturally responsive, and in network with Cigna and Lyra Health, and I provide superbills for out-of-network clients. Call 619-764-6516 for a free 15-minute consultation.
Welcome. I'm glad you're here.
Welcome. I'm glad you're here.
If you are here, it probably means you are feeling anxious or sad—maybe both. You may have had experiences of rejection, abuse, or trauma. You may be struggling in your relationships, dealing with feelings of inadequacy, or worrying too much. Maybe you’ve been worried about how your personal identities fit with your family or the world around you. Everything feels out of balance and overwhelming. Most of all, you feel stuck. You have probably been suffering with this on your own for a long time, and just don’t know what to do about it any longer.
Let me help. I’ve been a practicing psychologist for over 30 years, and have a passion for helping others through difficult periods in their lives. My goal is to bring back a sense of meaning to your life. I would be honored to be part of your journey.
ABOUT KAREN
ABOUT KAREN
I graduated from the Counseling Psychology program at Virginia Commonwealth University and completed my doctoral internship at Penn State University. Earlier in my career, I worked at several different university counseling centers. I developed an APA accredited doctoral internship in professional psychology at the University of San Diego Counseling Center, and spent over twenty years supervising psychologists in training. I was honored to receive national awards for this work. During my career at university counseling centers I cowrote and presented on therapy with trauma survivors, group therapy, training and supervision from a feminist-multicultural perspective, and other topics.
With a specialty in applying mindfulness in therapy, I love helping clients struggling with trauma, anxiety, adjustment/life transitions, grief and loss, and relationship concerns. I work with adults 18 and older.
My work combines strategies from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, EMDR Therapy, Interpersonal/Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness-based strategies. I am an EMDR Certified Therapist (EMDR International Association) and I also have training in other evidence based therapies for trauma. What all that means practically is in my work I'm trying to find a balance between insight and change. Insight helps clients understand themselves better--how they got where they are, what's keeping them there and more positively, what's really important to them. Insight also tends to promote increased self-compassion, which has been associated with improvements in mood and stress. At the same time, I'm always trying to nudge clients toward taking some helpful risks, moving out of stuckness, and finding strategies for making life better while bringing back a sense of meaning and empowerment. I'm careful to explore cultural and contextual factors that affect a client's life. More information about my approaches can be found on the FAQ page.
In my time away from work, I enjoy exercise, meditation and yoga, baking, gardening, reading, and spending time with family, friends, and my big goofy dogs.
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