Dr. Karen Katunich, PA Psychologist PS006207L

Dr. Karen Katunich welcomes adults seeking steady, experienced psychological support. She keeps sessions straightforward and focused on what matters to each person. Her approach aims to reduce overwhelm and build practical skills for everyday life.

She draws on four decades of work in hospitals, clinics, and teaching settings. Her background includes positions at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Mood Disorders Clinic and as Director of Resident Psychotherapy Training at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. She earned her doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University and completed an internship at the Pittsburgh Consortium-Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

A former Air Force officer, she began teaching at the U.S. Air Force Academy and has continued teaching at colleges and universities. That mix of clinical and educational roles informs a structured, respectful way of working with people facing mood concerns and life stressors.

Her clinical orientation is rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and she also uses client-centered principles, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing techniques. In practice that means listening without judgment, helping people test new ways of thinking, and teaching skills for managing intense emotions.

She commonly helps people cope with depression, bipolar conditions, anxiety, trauma, substance concerns, relationship strain, anger, and life transitions. Additional focus areas listed include work with mood and personality disorders, seasonal mood changes, and aspects of alternative sex culture. Dr. Katunich practices in Pennsylvania as a PA Psychologist PS006207L.

How therapeutic approaches guide online care

Client-centered therapy emphasizes being heard and respected. In practice this means the therapist follows the client’s lead, reflects what they say, and focuses on the person’s priorities and values. It helps when someone needs to talk through feelings and make sense of their situation.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. The therapist helps identify unhelpful thinking patterns and introduces small experiments to test new ways of thinking. This approach often helps with depression, anxiety, and mood regulation.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches concrete skills for handling intense emotions and improving relationships. Sessions can include learning distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills that apply to daily challenges.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, and may combine techniques as needed. Clients are encouraged to give feedback so treatment stays focused on what helps most.

The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, offer shorter check-ins when needed, or avoid travel time. Licensed professionals can adapt CBT, DBT, and client-centered methods for sessions that focus on skills, problem solving, and talking through difficult moments.