Karen
Franklin, Ph.D.
Dr. Karen Franklin is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area (Contra Costa and Alameda counties). In her clinical practice, she works with a diverse array of clients, including people of many cultural backgrounds, ages (adolescents to older adults), races, ethnicities and sexualities. She is qualified to treat clients with a wide variety of problems.
Dr. Franklin combines warmth, empathy and humor with empirically grounded clinical techniques. She uses a combination of cognitive, solution-oriented, family systems and feminist therapy philosophies to guide her clinical work. Her approach is supportive and collaborative. She presents straightforward information, and involves clients in decision-making and goal-setting.
Dr. Franklin's underlying philosophy is that clients have within them the resources and strengths to improve their lives in the desired direction. She sees her role as helping clients get unstuck and speeding up the desired change process, through application of sophisticated clinical techniques. She focuses primarily on the client's present functioning and goals for the future. The client's past is only explored briefly as it relates to current patterns that may be problematic. Dr. Franklin is also a strong believer in the role of culture in mental health. She addresses the impact of societal oppression, racism, sexism, homophobia, poverty, and other forms of discrimination and hostility on her clients' current circumstances and functioning.
Dr. Franklin conducts therapy with individuals, couples, and families. Therapy can be either brief (typically, 10 to 20 sessions) or longer-term, depending upon the client's situation.
Her practice is non-managed care, and she does not routinely provide information to insurance companies or seek treatment authorization from them. However, she will complete insurance documentation if a client so requests, and she will assist patients in obtaining reimbursement for covered treatment.
