Karina Fernandez, LCSW - Therapist in Tennessee

Trauma-informed support
Practical coping skills
English and Spanish

About Karina

Karina Fernandez is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 16 years of experience in mental health. She began her clinical path after earning a Master of Social Work and has worked across settings that support people with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and complex grief. Karina communicates in English and Spanish and practices in Tennessee.

Her style centers on practical, person-focused care. Sessions emphasize clear goals, coping skills, and building on the client’s strengths. She uses straightforward tools to reduce overwhelming feelings and improve daily functioning.

Karina blends cognitive behavioral techniques with dialectical behavior skills and client-centered methods to tailor sessions to each person. She also incorporates mindfulness practices and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to address trauma when appropriate. The aim is to help people manage stress, grief, sleep problems, relationship strain, and issues that follow major life changes.

She has worked with survivors of violent crimes and with people facing complex bereavement. That background informs how she approaches trauma, compassion fatigue, and first responder concerns. Karina also helps individuals dealing with codependency, caregiver stress, and communication problems.

If you are coping with the aftermath of a natural or human-caused disaster, she can help you sort through practical needs and emotional reactions. To begin, a short matching questionnaire helps guide scheduling and initial planning.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Karina often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness practices when helping people manage anxiety, depression, and stress. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical behavior changes, which can reduce symptoms and improve day-to-day routines. Mindfulness work teaches simple attention and breathing skills to calm the nervous system and reduce reactivity.

She also uses elements of dialectical behavior therapy for emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness; DBT skills help people tolerate distress, communicate needs, and stabilize relationships. These approaches are straightforward to practice between sessions and can be tailored to real-life situations the client brings to therapy.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will review your goals, preferences, and life demands and then recommend strategies to try. Clients and the therapist adjust the plan over time based on what works best.

Session formats are not specified in the profile, so please confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Many people find remote sessions helpful for keeping momentum between appointments and applying skills directly to their everyday routines.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Self esteem Depression

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsSleeping disordersParenting issuesCoping with life changes Compassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommunication problems Coping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shame Hospice and end-of-life counseling Immigration issuesImpulsivityIsolation / loneliness Life purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

16+ years

Credentials

Tennessee

Languages

English, Spanish

Frequently asked questions

What issues does Karina address?

She helps people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, addictions, self-esteem, relationship and family concerns, sleep problems, parenting strain, and coping with life changes.

What is her therapy style like?

Sessions are person-focused and practical, with clear goals and skill-building. She emphasizes using clients' strengths and teaching tools that can be used between meetings.

How long has she been practicing?

She has 16 years of experience in mental health work across clinical settings supporting people with depression, anxiety, PTSD, grief, and trauma.

What are her credentials and where does she practice?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Tennessee and holds a Master of Social Work degree.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.

Can international clients work with her?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How are sessions scheduled and what does cost look like?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Specific pricing is provided during the signup process.

How do I get started with therapy?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.