Hi, I’m Karina Garcia. I believe that every client is capable of change and healing — they just need the appropriate support and to learn how to identify their progress.
What Karina wants you to know:
“If clients speak Spanish, sessions can be in Spanish or a mixture of English and Spanish — so they can express themselves freely and we can connect in a genuine way.”
¡Acepto nuevos clientes para sesiones de Telesalud en Virginia!
About Karina
If you've been carrying something for a long time — a childhood that still shows up in your relationships, a fear that never fully quiets, the feeling that no one has truly listened — Karina offers a place to set it down and be heard.
Karina works with adults who want to process trauma, ease depression and anxiety, and understand their own minds better. She is LGBTQIA+ affirming and welcomes clients of every background and identity, including people who have never been to therapy and aren't sure what to expect. Sessions can be in English, Spanish, or a mix of both, so you can say what you mean in the language it actually lives in.
Her work is trauma-focused and practical. Karina is trained in EMDR and uses it alongside CBT and DBT to help you understand how trauma shapes the brain and body, build tools for calming your nervous system, and reprocess painful memories with one foot in the present and one in the past. Just as much time goes to what's going right — your strengths, your progress, the parts of your story you get to write next.
Clients describe her as warm, calm, and collaborative, with a playful streak and a willingness to challenge you when you're ready for it. You set the pace. Karina brings the structure, the skills, and the reminder — sometimes when you can't see it yourself — of how far you've come.
A first-generation Latina and the first in her family to attend college, Karina knows firsthand what it feels like to live between cultures. Karina grew up in Connecticut in a Latino family and knows what it feels like to not quite fit anywhere, and she brings that understanding to every session. Outside of work she's an introvert who stays in touch with her inner child through her collections from The Office and Monster High.
Karina is a Resident in Counseling in Virginia (#0704014964), supervised by Roberto Martinez, LPC, and Katie Pancione, LPC, at NOVA Mental Health Counseling. She holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Marymount University, is EMDR-trained (EMDR HAP), and is a Certified Trauma Professional (Evergreen Certifications).
Ready to start? Schedule a free 15–30 minute consultation online or email Karina to see if you're a good fit.
Karina’s Trauma Approach
I am an EMDR-trained Trauma Professional with experience supporting survivors of childhood trauma, domestic violence, and human trafficking.
My work focuses on helping you understand how trauma affects the brain and body — and how, with the right support, both can learn to feel calm and safe again.
Trauma has a way of convincing people that no one could possibly understand their experience. You won't have to convince me. Together, we focus on:
Processing traumatic or challenging events at your pace — you guide, I support
Building practical tools from CBT, DBT, and EMDR for the moments life feels overwhelming or overstimulating
Rewriting the story you tell about yourself, with your strengths at the center
Recognizing your progress — even when you can't see it yet
Sessions can be in English, Spanish, or a mixture of both so that you can express yourself freely, and we can connect in a genuine way. And therapy isn't only about what hurts — we'll also make room for your strengths, accomplishments, and dreams.
I believe every person is capable of change and healing. Feeling uneasy at the start is normal — my goal is to help you move through that first fear so you can feel freer, more motivated, and empowered to grow.
Services and Fees
20 Minute Consultations: FREE
50 Minute Individual: $105
*Sliding scale services and discounts are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please email info@novamentalhealthcounseling.com for more information.
Credentials
Marymount University - M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, B.S. Psychology
NPI License # 1922885169
Under Resident Supervision by Roberto Martinez, VA#0701011003
Professional Affiliations
EMDR training from HAP company
Certified Trauma Professional (CTP) Certification from Evergreen Certification
