Dr. Karthaus is a founding partner and the Business Manager for Aviva Psychology Services. Dr. Karthaus is a visionary and a phenomenal systems thinker. She is gifted at translating ideas into action, and at implementing efficient systems to optimize organizational functioning.

In her clinical role as a licensed psychologist, she provides individual therapy and career counseling. She focuses on working with diverse populations and has an expertise in working with individuals who struggle with anxiety, career challenges, and adjustment to parenting.

In practice, Dr. Karthaus works from a mindfulness-based perspective, integrating evidence-based interventions from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She is a registered yoga teacher, which informs her work in helping clients to cultivate intuitive strategies for managing the stress of daily life. Finally, as a counseling psychologist, Dr. Karthaus has a great deal of experience in helping clients find value and meaning in their careers. She offers both formal career-counseling sessions as well as integrates career counseling into individual psychotherapy sessions as it is relevant to clients’ needs.

As a behavioral therapist, Dr. Karthaus aims to help clients identify patterns of behavior and make active choices to move towards their values. She believes that much of the pain in life stems from avoidance. While avoidance of pain is a universal human experience, it often leads to moving away from values in an effort to feel less intensity. With this in mind, her approach to therapy involves (a) working with clients to understand the function of their behaviors (b) increase mindfulness skills and expand emotional awareness and (c) increase willingness to make the changes that would help them move towards a more valued life.

Dr. Urbano is a founding partner and the Clinical Director for Aviva Psychology Services. She is a dedicated clinician and supervisor, and she helps to build our team and bring our clinical vision to life. She supports our growing team with organizational development, clinical support, and training.

As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Urbano provides individual, couples, family, and group therapy to adults of all identities. She utilizes structured therapy models (CBT, ACT, IFS, and Bader's Developmental Model of Couples Therapy) and psychodynamic processes. She specializes in helping individuals who feel anxious or emotionally overwhelmed to improve coping and increase comfort with themselves, their feelings and thoughts, and others. She also specializes in helping individuals, couples, and families to improve communication, develop healthier attachments, and better understand and change hurtful relational patterns.

Dr. Urbano has an additional area of expertise in perinatal mental health and is dedicated to working with both aspiring and current parents throughout the complex family planning and adjustment process, including grief and traumatic loss, coping with uncertainty, and adjustment to parenthood.

As an integrated psychodynamic and behavioral psychologist, Dr. Urbano believes that a combination of self-awareness building and skill-building tailored to the unique needs of each client provides a strong foundation for effective therapy. Her basic approach to therapy helps clients to recognize their role in making desired changes, build strategies for healthier coping and relational functioning, and translate their values into action to live more secure, satisfying, and connected lives.  

During your therapy process with Dr. Urbano, you will find that she is active and provides feedback, is compassionate and honest, and values your feelings. You will also find that she regularly discusses your therapy process, goals, and our relationship in addition to inviting your feedback.