Kara Denahan, LMFT

Kara Denahan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Rhode Island with 23 years of experience working with individuals and couples. She holds a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Rhode Island, earned in 1997, and began her professional journey after completing graduate training by establishing a private practice. Her early academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Design with a specialty in Photography, a foundation that preceded a later return to graduate study in her mid-thirties.

Kara's clinical style has been shaped by a long-term personal and professional commitment to mindfulness and meditative practice. In 1999 she began practicing within a group influenced by the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, an experience that deepened her interest in acceptance, presence, and the cultivation of inner calm. In 2009 she pursued formal training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), completing Level I in 2010 and Level II in 2012, and integrates the model's focus on internal parts and self-led healing into her work.

Her continuing study includes an interest in Polyvagal Theory and its practical applications, as presented by Deb Dana, and engagement with Interpersonal Neurobiology as articulated by Daniel Siegel. Influences such as Rick Hanson, Martha Beck, and Brené Brown inform her emphasis on resilience, practical techniques for well-being, and the role of vulnerability. Kara believes there is no one-size-fits-all therapy and approaches each person collaboratively to find the methods that best support their growth. She is not currently accepting new clients.