A little about me . . .
Hi! I'm Dr. Kara - a wife, mom of 3, and an award-winning author and relationship coach. For more than a decade, couples have let me peek behind the curtain into their relationships to offer encouragement and guidance.
Growing up, most of my report cards said something to the effect of, “She’s a bright girl, but she talks too much.”
To the dismay of my teachers, I was only getting started . . .
I went on to earn my master's in dispute resolution and a PhD in family studies. I've blogged on relationships for Psychology Today and have been featured in outlets like Brides, The Knot, and the DFWChild podcast.
One of the perks of entrepreneurship is finding fun, creative ways to make relationship education more accessible. Over the past few years, here are some of my favorite projects:
- Creating a 5-star Etsy shop of relationship-inspired gifts and decor
- Partnering with the internationally-recognized relationship experts at PREP Inc. on a special government contract to craft research-based marriage tips for newlyweds in another country
- Self-publishing a book on lifelong friendship with my mom
- Hosting/producing/editing a 10-episode podcast, Mess and Meaning, for busy parents
I believe showing up well for our people is probably the hardest, most important work we'll ever do. My hope is you'll find resources and encouragement here to help you do just that!
Kara
Education:
- Ph.D. Family Studies, Texas Woman's University
- M.A. Dispute Resolution, Southern Methodist University
- B.A. Corporate Communications-Public Affairs and Psychology, Southern Methodist University
Professional Certifications:
- Certified Family Life Educator, National Council on Family Relations
- PREP Certified Facilitator
- Certified SYMBIS Assessment Facilitator
- Bringing Baby Home Educator, The Gottman Institute
- Gottman Seven Principles Program Educator
- PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator
- Dream Big Certified Coach
- 42-Hour Domestic Relations and Dispute Resolution Certification
- 40-Hour Mediation and Dispute Resolution Certification
Awards + Recognitions:
- A Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner, 2024
- A Readers' Favorite Book Award Winner, 2024
- Finalist, The IAN Book of the Year Awards, 2024
- Finalist, American Book Fest’s Best Book Awards, 2024
- 4x Recipient of The Knot's "Best of Weddings" Award for Premarital Counseling
- Inducted into The Knot's "Best of Weddings" Hall of Fame