Karen Gano, LCSW-C, LCSW, CSW

Karen Gano greets visitors with a calm, direct approach. She is Karen Gano, LCSW-C, LCSW, CSW, and she focuses on helping people facing life transitions and addiction-related concerns. Her style aims to empower people to find practical steps forward and regain a sense of control.

She draws on more than three decades of clinical experience and a Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh. That background includes work in medical settings such as oncology, palliative care, emergency medicine, and critical care. She has also supported people affected by domestic violence and trauma.

In sessions she uses client-centered conversation to follow what matters most to each person. She brings motivational interviewing to help with readiness for change and solution-focused tools to create small, achievable goals. Mindfulness and trauma-focused techniques are woven in where helpful to manage stress and reduce overwhelm.

Her practice emphasizes practical coping skills and self-care routines that can fit into a busy life. She often works with people navigating separation, divorce, career shifts, relocation, empty nest, illness, caregiving stress, and grief. Addiction concerns are part of her listed focus areas and are addressed through collaborative goal setting.

People who choose her work toward clearer direction, stronger self-esteem, and better daily coping. The aim is to move from getting by to feeling more capable and hopeful about the future.

How her approaches translate to online care

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following what matters most to the person. Online sessions can use that same conversational style to identify priorities and build trust. Motivational interviewing helps people clarify their readiness to change and find internal reasons to move forward; it works well for addiction and behavior change goals by breaking steps into manageable actions. Mindfulness practice teaches simple attention and breathing exercises to reduce stress and improve focus, useful for managing anxiety, grief, and daily overwhelm.

Choosing the right therapeutic approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Plans can shift over time as goals evolve and progress is made.

The original profile does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy schedule, allow brief check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. It also supports using written exercises, guided mindfulness practices, and goal tracking between meetings to keep momentum going.