Remmawii (Karuna) Kristjanson, LCSW, CSW

Remmawii (Karuna) Kristjanson is a licensed clinical social worker with thirty years of experience. She works with people facing addictions, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, grief, and major life changes. Her approach blends talk therapy with practices that address the body and the mind. Karuna uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside other approaches to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and change patterns. She also draws on acceptance and commitment strategies to help clients clarify values and take practical steps toward them. Attachment-focused ideas guide work on long-standing relational wounds and abandonment concerns. Her background includes living and working across several countries, which shaped her sensitivity to cross-cultural issues. She is also a certified yoga and meditation teacher and a Reiki master; these tools are offered as optional, body-focused ways to reduce tension and support emotional regulation. Techniques might include breathwork, guided meditation, gentle movement, journaling, or art activities paired with talk therapy. Sessions are tailored to each person. Karuna aims for a respectful, calm tone and adapts plans to match a client's goals and life circumstances. She talks through coping skills, communication strategies, and ways to rebuild connection after loss or trauma. Many people begin work by focusing on one immediate problem and then move toward broader life purpose and self-compassion. Karuna emphasizes steady, practical steps and supports people as they explore change at their own pace.

Therapeutic approaches online and what they do

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, helps people notice unhelpful thinking and change behavior in practical steps. It often focuses on goals like reducing avoidance, improving communication, and managing symptoms tied to trauma or anxiety. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, centers on clarifying values and committing to small, meaningful actions while learning to live with difficult thoughts. It can be useful for grief, addiction recovery, and finding purpose after big life changes. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current connections and helps people repair trust and reduce patterns of abandonment or isolation.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That may mean combining CBT skills with ACT exercises and some attachment-focused conversation so the plan fits the person, not a single technique.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video sessions let therapists and clients use visual cues and guided practices, while phone calls can work when bandwidth is low. Live chat or text messages suit quick check-ins, journaling prompts, or short skill practice between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and maintain consistency over time.