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About Dr. Kara

Hi! I'm Dr. Kara - a wife, mom of 3, and an award-winning relationship coach. For more than a decade, couples have let me peek behind the curtain into their relationships to offer encouragement and guidance.

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 . . .

Since my first psychology class in high school, I've been hooked on people - our personalities and quirks, what makes us tick, what trips us up, and all the predictable (and not so predictable) ways we interact and influence each other

I earned 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 and the DFWChild podcast. 

My experience in the relationship field runs the gamut from adjunct instructor to nonprofit program director, family mediator to relationship coach and entrepreneur. I've also worked in a variety of capacities for the relationship education powerhouse, PREP, Inc., including as the lead writer on a multi-year government contract to craft research-based marriage tips for newlyweds in another country.  

I like to camp out at the intersection of people and purpose - what we feel called to do, and who we're doing it for. 

I believe showing up well for our people is probably the hardest, most important work we'll ever do. I hope 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:

  • Dream Big Certified Coach
  • PREP Certified Facilitator
  • Certified SYMBIS Assessment Facilitator
  • Bringing Baby Home Educator, The Gottman Institute
  • Certified Family Life Educator, National Council on Family Relations
  • Gottman Seven Principles Program Educator
  • PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator
  • 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
  • 4x Recipient of The Knot's "Best of Weddings" Award for Premarital Counseling
  • Inducted into The Knot's "Best of Weddings" Hall of Fame
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