“The Only Way Out Is Through.”

-Robert Frost

About Kara Londergan

Hi, I’m Kara (or Kari) Londergan, and I’m glad you’ve made it here. I know what it’s like to feel lost, directionless, and out of tune with what you really want—stifling tough emotions and smiling through pain.

I know what it’s like to raise kids with amazing talent and athleticism, learning disabilities, wicked intelligence, attitude, sibling rivalry, puberty, sleepless nights from ER visits, and those long talks before bed processing life, love, and loss. I look at them in adoration—wondering how in the world could they cause so much stress while also being in awe of what a blessing it is to be their mom.

I also know what it’s like to experience layered betrayal, trauma, loss and surrendering to this process by remaining open and learning to love again. It's all part of the labyrinth of this incredible thing called life.

I am a trauma specialist because I’ve lived it. I study it. I teach it—to my kids, clients, and supervisees. Helping others figure out how to turn adversity into opportunity and pain into purpose is my life’s calling. And I would be honored to walk alongside you on your healing journey.

My Clinical Background

Before becoming a therapist, I had a career in the pharmaceutical industry and the privilege of raising three wonderful kids. However, throughout that time, I ignored the many signals I was receiving from my body to slow down, pay attention, and listen to what it was trying to tell me. 

It wasn’t until I started my own therapeutic journey that I actually learned how to interpret my body’s messages. Through this, I not only discovered my truth but the truth for so many struggling and in pain: when trauma is left unprocessed, it can send us into a dark, lonely abyss. 

Once I began digging deeper into the models affecting my relationships and self-understanding, I decided to go back to school, pursue my PhD, and specialize in intergenerational attachment trauma. Before coming into my private practice, I worked at two other group practices, a therapy school, and in a social justice capacity through Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). These experiences combined to help me develop a systems-based, client-centered, and compassionate therapeutic approach oriented towards communal healing and shared humanity.

My Therapeutic Approach

I am passionate about my work and advocating for systemic change in an effort to end the cycle of trauma within families. I also work with many women who, like me, have experienced betrayal trauma, guiding clients in rebuilding their lives and finding their voices again.

My clients appreciate that I can relate to their stories because I have shared many of their struggles. I would never suggest a clinical approach that I haven’t used in my own personal journey, which is why I incorporate holistic, body-based methods into my practice. Healing approaches like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) have been integral to my trauma work, and it has been rewarding to provide these life-changing therapies to those I work with. 

I also understand the trust required for the process to be successful. For this reason, I tailor counseling to the needs of each client and focus on building a safe, secure relationship before beginning the deeper work of trauma recovery and processing. I am constantly striving to combat systems of oppression—racism, sexism, ableism, colonialism, patriarchy, heteronormativity, and transphobia, to name a few—with culturally aware and socially just perspectives, affirming my clients’ identities in a safe, inclusive therapeutic environment.

Hohm is an acronym for “Healing our hearts and minds,” and I aim to guide my clients Hohm to their most healed, authentic selves.

“You can be shattered and then you can put yourself back together piece by piece. But what can happen over time is this: You wake up one day and realize that you have put yourself back together completely differently. That you are whole, finally, and strong – but you are now a different shape, a different size. This sort of change – the change that occurs when you sit inside your own pain – it's revolutionary. When you let yourself die, there is suddenly one day: new life. You are Different. New. And no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot fit into your old life anymore.”

— Glennon Doyle Melton 

Kara Londergan is a therapist based in Deerfield, serving clients throughout Illinois. She has her MA and PhD in Couple & Family Therapy. Other certifications and awards include:

  • ● AAMFT-Approved Supervisor and Clinical Fellow, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

    ● Clinical Supervisor, The Family Institute at Northwestern University

    ● Trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) & currently working on certification in EMDR

    ● Externship in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

  • ● Brown, K. S., Londergan, K., & Bluvshtein, M. (2020). “And They Lived Happily Ever After: An Intimate Closeness of Systems and Adlerian Theories in the Case of a Transgender Couple.” The Journal of Individual Psychology, 76(1), 128–140. doi:10.1353/jip.2020.0023

    ● Londergan, K. (2023).

    The Aftermath of Infidelity and Its Intergenerational Transmission from an Attachment Perspective

    (Order No. 30637653). Available from Dissertations & Theses @ Adler University. (2902885556). https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/aftermath-infidelity-intergenerational/docview/2902885556/se-2

  • April 2024 Issue

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  • “I worked with Kari in EMDR to process unresolved childhood trauma that was very activated in the present with my fiancé and various family members. She helped to guide me at a pace that was comfortable. I felt safe with her to go deep into my experiences because of our relationship, her warm energy and her knowledge of the process. It has been life changing to say the least. I am no longer feeling the intense triggers and can regulate my emotions so much better. I feel calm and less weighed down. Releasing that block has allowed new energy into my life that finally feels really good. I highly recommend Kari, as she has made such an impact on my life.”

  • "Kari has helped me to finally understand my ADHD. She has shared so many great resources and is a wealth of knowledge. She is passionate about her work and her relationships with clients. She puts her heart and soul into her sessions. I’ve worked with many therapists before, but Kari has cultivated the depth that I needed to finally make lasting change. I am grateful for her and our work together."

  • "Kari has helped me to define healthier boundaries within my relationships. I went from a people pleaser and avoidant in sharing my emotions to someone who feels much more confident in standing firm in who I am, knowing that my feelings are valid. Kari is so knowledgeable within attachment theory! It has been a game changer in my life."

How can I help you heal?

I cherish my clients, the therapeutic relationship, and the courage it takes to heal. For more information about my approach as a therapist, please contact me.