Karen was born and raised in South Africa and though she sees herself as proudly South African, her roots extend far beyond those borders. With both German and British heritage, Karen is fluent in three languages: English, German, and Afrikaans. She is working on adding Dutch to the list.

Karen completed her Master’s degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Her comprehensive studies included a variety of areas from psychological and community intervention, career guidance, and psychometry. After her degree, Karen worked as an educational psychologist at an international school, during which she rendered both individual and group support to a diverse group of learners. Since moving to the Netherlands in 2017, Karen has developed a deep understanding of what it means to be an expat and a third culture kid, and has worked in a private practice.

Her greatest passion as a psychologist is being part of a therapeutic process of growth, resilience, and self-exploration. Karen is experienced in providing play therapy, impact therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, attachment therapy, and expressive arts therapy. She provides support for children and adolescents in matters of social skills, emotional regulation (depression, anxiety and anger), negative self-talk, low self-esteem, and learning difficulties, to name a few. With her Arts background, Karen believes in working holistically (mind, body, heart and spirit), tailoring her approach to accommodate the needs of each individual in a creative and compassionate manner.