About Karen Potter

Karen is deeply committed to exploring and understanding the deeper layers to people and their relationships in order to develop greater insight, awareness and understanding about where behaviours, emotions and thinking patterns might be coming from. As well as to improve and strengthen the connection to others, oneself and the world around us.

Karen is passionate about accompanying her clients on this journey as they explore themselves, their relationships and their life. Through this process, people become more compassionate, accepting,  understanding, open and connected to themselves and others.

Karen currently works part-time in her private practice and offers in-person and telehealth options.

Main areas of focus

 

Through the decades of experience and knowledge, Karen has come to focus on specific areas of life:

  • Perinatal – from the idea of a baby, to conceiving (or not), through pregnancy, birthing and post-natal.
  • Parenting – of children and adolescents, including bonding and attachment concerns and the couple relationship
  • Individuals and couples -their life transitions, including end of life, which involves a myriad of emotions including grief & loss, anxiety, and bereavement.
  • Mentoring – working with individuals to understand where they are at now, and where, and who, they want to become.  It is more practically focused than psychotherapy and we look at work, career, relationships, and life in general.
  • Clinical Supervision – with practitioners in private practice as well as within organisations.  She also offers consultancy services to organisations.

Background

Originally from Melbourne, Karen completed a Bachelor of Social Work in 1997.  This began her career as a counsellor/psychotherapist working in various settings.  These included: the Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault; Royal Women’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive and Special Care Nurseries & Maternity Wards; Melbourne IVF; the Centre Against Sexual Assault; Dandenong Hospital (including ICU, Maternity and Birth Suite and general medicine); as well as in private practice. 

Within these settings and through the course of over 27 years as a therapist, Karen has worked extensively with people who have experienced a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, addictive behaviours.

Throughout her career, Karen has maintained a solid commitment to professional development.  As such, she completed a Graduate Diploma in Infant-Parent Mental Health and a Master of Psychology (Educational & Developmental) and has attended many workshops, trainings, seminars and conferences.  Alongside this, Karen has, and remains, committed to her own personal development and spiritual path.

Qualifications & Professional Memberships

Karen has a range of Qualifications and Memberships that you can view here.