Karen Boe Claim

My Education and Experience:

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with over fifteen years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families primarily in a community-based setting. I hold a BS in Psychology as well as an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy both from George Fox University. During my internship while a student at school I developed a passion for working with children and their families and decided it would be my primary focus. After I graduated from college, I relocated to California where I spent many years working for a private non-profit agency and a foster family agency providing individual, family and group therapy in a variety of settings. I am working towards becoming a Animal Assisted Play Therapist ® (AAPT) and have been integrating my Chocolate Labrador, Theo, into my practice. Theo is a registered therapy dog through Pet Partners and has an AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate. I also have training in Sandtray therapy, Art therapy, Theraplay ® and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). I recently graduated from the Center for Adoption Support and Education’s Training for Adoption Competency (TAC) program. 

My Approach:

I began my work with children and families early on in my career and decided it was where I wanted to focus my practice. I have a passion for working with children and families as I recognize the importance of them growing up in a loving home. During my early work I fell in love with play therapy recognizing that kids often don’t want to sit down and talk through their feelings, but rather they play out their feelings and experiences. With the tweens and teens I will use games, art, or other inventions to engage them and help them express their feelings and experiences.
I also believe in not only focusing on the child, but the whole family, which is why I include the parents as part of the process recognizing the family is a system, not just individual parts. My experience is parents often need support and ideas about how to support their child with whatever they might be struggling with. I love what I do and strive to meet the needs of the child and their family believing they have the strengths and resources they need to solve their problems, as they are the experts of their lives, family, and experiences.

A little more about me:

I grew up in a little town in Montana where most of my family still lives. Theo and I get back to Montana to visit a few times each year. I love to read, run, put together jig saw puzzles, ride my bike and go for long walks by the river with Theo. Theo has a passion for water, playing with tennis balls, and people who provide a lot of pets.