About Karen
Karen (she/her/hers) is a orthopedic manual Physical Therapist who has served in the DC metro area since 1996. She brings to each session her breadth and depth of clinical experience, creativity, empathy and compassion to provide a unique and progressive program best suited for the patient. She works with adults and children.
She has a knack for problem solving the most difficult of cases. Her clinical skills, tenacity, and out-of-the-box thinking have helped many patients out of the most dire of circumstances such as impending surgery, difficult post-op rehab, and chronic pain.
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Karen’s strong and safe therapeutic presence, with empathic discernment provide a steady foundation to engage deep long held issues in the body. She is an Advanced Craniosacral Therapy (CST) practitioner who has an affinity to work with people who are healing from PTSD, and those who would like to release current or past traumas at the physical/ emotional/ generational/ spiritual levels. CST is a gentle, light touch treatment that tunes into where soft tissue or fluid restrictions reside in the body. Using touch and dialogue, Karen is able to engage the challenges at hand. She listens to the body's inner wisdom to release injury and trauma, discover your healing path, and integrate this into your daily life. And with her training as a Distance Healer, she can support you with CST remotely.
She stays on the cutting edge with continued trainings in traditional PT, Craniosacral Therapy, Healing From the Core, Lymph Drainage Therapy, Continuum Movement, Visceral Manipulation, and Energy Medicine. She is a Certified Presenter for Healing From the Core, and Certified Healing From the Core Distance Healing Facilitator. She has taught Healing From the Core Overview one-day workshops. She has been a teaching assistant for the Upledger Institute.
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Karen is proud to be queer, and lives with her wife Lauren, and their three spoiled cats in Alexandria, VA. She spends her free time in nature, mindfulness and movement practices, and with family and friends.
Education and Certifications
Arcadia University 1996
Karen graduated with Honors, M.S.P.T. from Arcadia University in 1996
Karen is a Licensed Physical Therapist and Massage Therapist in VA, DC, and MD
Baltimore School of Massage 2001
Karen is a Certified Massage Therapist, Licensed in VA and MD.
Upledger Institute 2000- Current
Karen is an Advanced level Craniosacral Therapist practitioner training since 2000 in Somatoemotional Release, Immune System, Brain/Glial Cell work. She is a teaching assistant for many classes under the Upledger Institute and has led study groups in CST.
Columbia Union College 1992
Karen graduated Summa Cum Laude, B.S. in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. National Science Foundation Scholar. Biology Department Student of the Year. Chemistry Department Student of the Year.
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My Philosophy
My deep intention is to facilitate your body’s inner wisdom for self-healing and recovery. As the Phoenix rises from its ashes and transforms, I am here to guide you through your own transformation, connecting with you through gentle touch, following the path of your body’s physical signals in order to support your process. I recognize the holistic and complex nature of healing. I listen deeply and gently hold a grounded and steady therapeutic presence for you. I am here for you.
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I (she/her/hers) am proud to be a Filipina American immigrant, and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. I believe Black Lives Matter. I understand the barriers that have kept many people out of healing practices of all types, and my practice is inclusive of people of all races, sizes, ages, cultures, immigration statuses, abilities or disabilities, gender identities, LGBTQIA+, queer and more.
I welcome all to my clinic with an open heart of kindness, acceptance, and compassion.
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What lies deepest in the heart of my practice is the honoring that the alchemy of love is what returns us home to our true selves, and THAT is what heals.