Karen Helmeke, Ph.D., LMFT

I have been helping individuals, couples, and families work through their life challenges since 1999. I work from a family systems perspective. Part of what I find appealing about working from this perspective is that it allows my clients and I to view individual problems within various frameworks that exert an influence on all of us, including the family life cycle, family of origin, community, and wider sociocultural contexts (such as race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and identity, age, and class). I believe that it is normal for us to become stuck in our communication and interactional patterns from our past and present as we face new challenges, and she is committed to working with clients who may occasionally need a bit of help in becoming unstuck to move forward in their lives in healthier, more productive, and more meaningful ways.

I earned my doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University in 1998. Although I identify as a Christian, I work in a sensitive manner with those from all faith backgrounds, respecting clients’ beliefs and practices from a broad variety of backgrounds, including those who do not ascribe to any certain faith. I am sensitive to men’s and women’s issues and the ways these issues play out in relationships. I have extensive knowledge of the intergenerational impact of family patterns on emotional and physical health and well-being, conflict-resolution, and communication patterns. I have worked with clients dealing with anxiety and depression related to relationship issues, couple conflict/issues, infidelity, loss and grief, parenting issues, stepfamily issues, divorce issues, premarital work, and working with adults who are working through relationship issues with siblings and parents.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the State of Michigan. I am also a Clinical Fellow in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and am an Approved Supervisor.

To schedule an appointment, please call the main office at 269-459-1818. Please know that, currently, I am only seeing clients via telehealth.