Portrait of a woman with long wavy hair, wearing a black blazer, smiling against a plain gray background.

Kara Bailey, ACMHC

Hi there. I specialize in working with children, young adults navigating big life decisions, and LGBTQIA+ people. If you're worried about your child because they are suddenly full of tears (or full of rage), let's work together. If you're a young adult feeling overwhelmed by next steps, I'd love to support you. If you are looking for a safe and inclusive environment to explore your identity and relationships, I'd love to help you think and feel your way through. My approach relies on concrete skill-building to address anxiety, depression, family conflict, and communication issues. Every stage of development offers new challenges.

Education & Training:

  • Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Missouri State University

  • Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Missouri State University 

  • Play Therapy Graduate Certificate, 2022

Areas of Interest & Study

  • Person-Centered Therapy

  • Child-Centered Play Therapy

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • LGBTQIA+

  • Skill-building

  • Young Adult Life Transitions

  • Grief and Loss

  • Developmental Trauma

I specialize in working with the following populations: 

  • Children managing anxiety or behavioral concerns who would benefit from skill building. 

  • Young Adults navigating big decisions, or transitions.

  • LGBTQIA+ exploring identity or relationship issues.

About Me:

Early on, I started this journey by providing tutoring services at the elementary level and quickly believed that the path of teaching was meant for me. While completing my bachelor’s degree in elementary education, I worked closely with children at the early childhood, elementary, and middle school levels. After graduating, the strong desire to work with children and teens remained, but my interest in staying in my hometown did not. I decided that it was time to branch out into the world and utilize my teaching skills beyond the borders of the United States.

For two years, I taught English as a second language at an international preschool in Bangkok, Thailand. Then, I eventually made my way back to the States and spent some time teaching pre-kindergarten on the island of Maui. During these wonderful times of life, I started to notice that I was most interested in interacting with children one-on-one, as opposed to a whole group academic setting. Shortly after, I chose to pursue my master’s degree with a focus on school and clinical mental health counseling. Throughout my counseling program, I specialized with children, teens, and adults in both academic and clinical settings. I have training in Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Child-Centered Play Therapy.

As a counselor, I absolutely love fostering connections with my clients and being a part of their unique human experience. Additionally, I strongly support LGBTQIA+ clients through identity exploration, relationship issues, and mental health challenges in a safe and inclusive environment. If it seems like I might be a good fit for you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out. It would be a privilege to grow and work with you.