headroom

Dr Karen Gonzalez, Integral Psychotherapist

Existential psychotherapy for life's biggest decisions — becoming a parent, redefining yourself as a mother, or finding identity as a migrant by choice.

Dr Karen Gonzalez is an Integral Psychotherapist with extensive experience working with individuals and couples. Her integrative approach draws from a range of therapeutic modalities to support clients in understanding persistent emotional patterns and fostering lasting change.

About me

Are you deciding whether to become a parent, redefining yourself as a mother, rebuilding your identity as a migrant by choice, or feeling like your professional role has taken over your sense of self?

I'm Dr Karen Gonzalez, Integral Psychotherapist and Founder of headroom. I work with individuals navigating life's biggest, most identity-altering decisions, drawing on existential, psychodynamic, phenomenological and ACT-informed therapy to help you understand persistent emotional patterns and create lasting change.

Training, Qualifications & Experience

My journey began with an undergraduate psychology degree in Mexico City, where I provided psychological assessments and counselling to young offenders dealing with complex trauma.

To deepen my understanding of human behaviour, I completed an MSc in Neuroscience at King's College London, followed by a PhD at the University of Southampton, where I researched brain differences in children with behavioural conditions like ADHD. While this research was fascinating, I realized that studying brain processes alone cannot capture the full complexity of human nature. I wanted to understand what makes us human on a deeply subjective level.

This realization led me to my Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, where I practice from an existential-phenomenological perspective.

My current research focuses on the impact of the climate crisis on mental health—specifically regarding women who choose not to have children due to climate change. The decision of how and whether to mother can be an exhausting journey. For many, climate concerns trigger profound feelings of anxiety and hopelessness about the future, directly shaping this deeply personal choice.

Fees

£90 per 50-minute session.

Qualifications

PhD, MSc, MBACP, MBPsS, SEA member

Specialisms

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Relationships
  • Trauma
  • Identity

Modalities

  • Existential Psychotherapy
  • ACT
  • Ontological Coach

Registered with

  • MBACP

Services

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