Karen Kurak began her career as a massage therapist in 1991 and has worked extensively with people experiencing stress, and chronic pain due to injury, overuse or illness.

After witnessing emotional and psychological components arise for clients time after time during the body focused sessions, she pursued her masters in counseling with a concentration in art therapy. 

During this process it became evident that a trauma informed approach was essential. She then completed the Somatic Experiencing (SE) training to add this important facet to her work.

She has also trained in additional approaches to touch through the SE lens and incorporates this into her work. 

Her work offers respect to the individual, is holistic in nature and considers mental and physical health as part of a continuum of total health.

This work seeks to empower individuals through engaging their own inherent healing ability and/or creative process to resolve or renegotiate a wide range of life and relationship situations, traumatic experiences and psychological issues.

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, State of Ohio, 2010  License # E. 1000055

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, State of Vermont, 2020 License #068.0134237

Registered, Board Certified Art Therapist 2013 #12-249

Licensed Massage Therapist, Ohio 1991  License #5692

Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) 2016

Bodywork and Somatic Experiencing Practioner (BASE-P) 2017

Unyte Integrated Listening Systems: Focus System, 12/2020
Unyte Integrated Listening Systems: Safe and Sound Protocol, 2/2020

Assistant for Somatic Experiencing Trainings at all levels. Approved  SE personal session provider at Beginning and Intermediate levels.

Education

University of Louisville, Louisville, KY.  Masters degree in Counseling with a concentration in Art Therapy (M.Ed.)

The Ohio College of Massotherapy  Akron, Ohio Massage Therapy Certificate 1991