About Me

I know how disorienting it can feel when life changes in ways you never expected. My hope is to offer you a steady, compassionate space where you feel truly seen, understood, and supported as you find your way forward.

What I Believe

You are not broken. You are grieving, changing, and adapting.

I believe that many of the struggles you’re facing are natural responses to real loss, real change, and real uncertainty.

When illness, aging, retirement, or the death of someone you love reshapes your world, it makes sense that your emotions would feel intense or unfamiliar. Therapy is not about fixing you — it’s about helping you understand what’s happening, make space for your experience, and respond with greater steadiness and self-compassion.

When you feel heard and supported, it becomes possible to move forward in a way that honors both who you’ve been and who you are becoming.

Dallas Area Therapist Kara Hartzell
Kara Hartzell, LCSW-S

Who I Am

My background and training.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supervisor in Texas with advanced certification in hospice and palliative care social work.

I earned my Master of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin and began my career in nonprofit hospice, where I supported individuals and families through end-of-life care and bereavement. Over the years, I have worked as a geriatric case manager, provided in-home psychotherapy for older adults and individuals with disabilities, and supported clients navigating complex medical and emotional transitions.

I am also EMDR-trained and draw from evidence-based, relational approaches that help clients process trauma, adapt to change, and move toward meaningful healing.

My Approach

What working together looks like.

In our sessions, you can expect a calm, steady presence and a space where nothing you say will shock or overwhelm me.

My approach is deeply relational and rooted in attachment-based and existential principles, which means we explore not just what is happening, but what it means to you. I draw from grief therapy, EMDR, and logotherapy to help you process painful experiences while also reconnecting with your sense of purpose and identity.

We move at a pace that feels respectful and collaborative, creating room for honest conversations, practical coping tools, and meaningful change.

Counseling Session in Dallas Office

Considering Counseling

Is this a good fit?

If you are in a season of life marked by loss, change, or uncertainty, there is a good chance this work could support you.

Many of the people I see are adults 50 and older navigating grief, aging, caregiving, or health-related transitions, but you don’t have to fit a perfect category to belong here. If you are feeling overwhelmed, emotionally untethered, or unsure how to move forward, that is reason enough to reach out.

What matters most is your willingness to explore what’s happening and your openness to being supported as you find steadier ground.

Dallas Service Area on Texas Map

Areas I Serve

Here for you in Dallas and beyond.

I provide in-person counseling in Dallas and offer secure telehealth sessions to adults throughout the state. This allows clients to receive consistent, thoughtful support whether they prefer meeting locally or connecting from elsewhere in Texas.