Hello!
I’M KARIN WITTE, LMHC.
The experience and gifts I received from my own healing process allow me to relate to you, from the deepest place of empathy, to help guide you through your healing journey. I was called to this work as a way of finding my higher purpose from the trauma I experienced. Throughout my own process in therapy, I’ve uncovered some amazing and beautiful gifts along the way — one of which was being led on a path to do the work I was truly born to do. For as long as I can remember, I was always fascinated by human relationships and interactions, and felt an emotional attunement to others — but I had remained emotionally disconnected from myself. When I experienced a tragic loss that left me feeling shattered and broken, I discovered my own process of being broken open to heal my deepest wounds and understand myself in a whole new way: a way that was rooted in compassion, forgiveness and acceptance of myself and others.
As I was working to put the pieces of my life back together from this changed place, I discovered a holistic and experiential graduate program in Counseling Psychology at John F. Kennedy University. There, I learned to make sense, from a clinical perspective, how I’ve naturally always seen others — through the lens of wholeness. It is not just our psyche that gets wounded; it is our whole selves (mind, body, and spirit) that gets wounded, and it is our whole selves that can heal as well.
It would be an honor to guide you through your healing journey.
Kali’s Story
Kali was part of an international rescue along with 117 other dogs who were being hoarded and abused at one property. When I met her, the severe trauma she had experienced in the 10 short months of her life was painfully evident. She couldn’t help but show her fear and mistrust by the way her whole body continually trembled and flinched at the slightest movement by humans. As I patiently and calmly waited for her to find the courage to approach me, I could see her physical wounds were starting to heal, yet knew the depth of her emotional ones would take much longer to heal—if ever. When her curiosity finally won over her fear, she approached me cautiously and then took the risk to let me pet her. I’m still not sure why she decided I was the one she could feel safe with, but when she did, she let me pick her up and immediately wrapped her arms around my neck. I could feel her shaking and as her nails dug into my skin, I knew she was taking a huge risk to trust me with her life. She stayed holding on to me, whether awake or asleep, for about the first three weeks we were together until she could finally trust that if she let go, I’d still be there…and I was.
It’s been a little over a year since I brought this terrified little being home and what a difference that year has made! Through safety, gentleness, understanding and unconditional love, Kali’s confidence has blossomed to allow her to find her place in the world. Although her trust of strangers is still building, she has developed an emotional attunement and empathy to the suffering of others; even providing emotional support to several of my clients in times of distress. Kali truly embodies the beauty that comes from finding a safe haven for healing.