Kara Denahan, LMFT

Kara Denahan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Rhode Island with 23 years of clinical experience. She has worked with individuals and couples across many concerns and currently provides therapy to individuals only. Her listed areas include stress, anxiety, relationship and family problems, trauma and abuse, depression, ADHD, addictions, grief, and issues that arise in blended families.

Kara trained originally in design and photography before returning to graduate school for a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Rhode Island. She later opened a private practice and built a long career seeing people for a wide range of life and relationship struggles.

Her work draws on attachment-based ideas, client-centered listening, cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, and trauma-focused methods. Over time she also studied Internal Family Systems and integrates parts-based language when it helps clients make sense of inner conflict.

Kara names mindfulness and meditation as influences that shaped how she works. She has studied practices inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh and incorporates attention to breath and present-moment noticing when appropriate. More recent reading and study include polyvagal-informed thinking and interpersonal neurobiology concepts to better understand nervous system responses and relational patterns.

In sessions she aims to help people identify patterns that get in the way, practice more effective ways of responding, and build small skills that change daily life. People often bring questions about stepfamily dynamics, co-parenting, loyalty conflicts, and merging household routines. She asks clients to clarify goals and then chooses approaches that fit those goals.