Karen Barnard

Karen Barnard, MSW, LCSW, is a highly experienced Behavioral Health Clinician who offers her expertise to clients through telemedicine. With an undergraduate degree in Criminology from Southern Oregon State College and a Masters in Social Work from Portland State University, Karen’s professional journey includes significant experience as a residential program manager for adjudicated youth with the Oregon Youth Authority and licensure as a social worker in Oregon.

Karen’s counseling work is primarily with adults addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, communication challenges, anger management, stress reduction, life transitions, and self-esteem. Her therapeutic approach integrates trauma-informed care, person-centered therapy, solution-focused techniques, mindfulness-based strategies, and cognitive behavioral therapies. This holistic approach aims to foster mindful awareness, empathic client relationships, and collaborative problem-solving to enhance well-being and self-empowerment.

Karen joined Rogue Community Health (RCH) from another local agency, attracted by RCH’s period of significant change and growth within the Behavioral Health program. She values RCH’s generous and forward-thinking culture, highlighting the collaborative work environment, supportive leadership, and the agency’s genuine care for its clients.

At the core of Karen’s philosophy is the commitment to meet each client where they are, focusing on compassionate listening, understanding, and engaging with a genuine interest in every interaction to support their journey towards growth and healing.

Outside of her counseling role, Karen is an avid outdoors enthusiast, enjoying hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and spending time at the river. She embraces the challenges of DIY projects, both in fixing and building things. Additionally, Karen dedicates her time as a volunteer member of the Jackson County Search and Rescue team, where she and her dog, Muddy, have been a K9 search team for over six years.