Albany Therapists

Angela Barnhurst

Kara M. Chance, MSW, CSWA

Clinical Social Work Associate

Hi! My name is Kara Chance and I can be best described as energetic, kind, caring, compassionate, and empathetic, while bringing a light-hearted sense of humor. I am in my element within a clinical setting, and I enjoy being a part of my client’s mental health and healing journey. I absolutely love the Pacific Northwest and all that it has to offer: hiking, exploration, travel, vacationing, and being outdoors in general while enjoying spending time with my close friends and family. My slight obsession is spending time with my black standard poodle, Willow, who is an amazing travel companion and has the biggest heart for people. I make an effort to self-reflect regularly, as well as purposely looking within to work on myself as a human having experiences and feelings. I want to be the best version of myself that I can be. In addition to being outdoors, I enjoy strength training, conditioning, and cardio work in the gym. I have been working to improve and feel I have a grasp on being nutrition-minded while planning, meal prepping, and cooking. Learning and gaining knowledge is a passion of mine that serves me and by extension, my clients, because I continue to expand my clinical based mental health skills. I feel that nature coupled with taking care of ourselves, along with body, mind and soul are interconnected and help us get through all aspects of life.
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Kara's Approach

As a mental health therapist, I strive to bring in self-determination, empowerment, and social justice to all of my clients. I meet clients where they are, assist them in developing a journey that is best suited to their needs, and offer guidance during that process. I am present for each client and genuinely care about their well-being and healing process. As an open-minded person overall, I am able to be collaborative, build positive rapport, model fun, use self-reflection, and provide a safe space to continually relate with my clients. The professional connection between a therapist and client is powerful, and the work that can be accomplished is rewarding on both sides. I am honored to be in this profession and feel this is exactly where I am meant to be.

More About Kara Chance

Experience

In 2021, I started my career working as a clinical mental health therapist. Prior to that, I worked ten years within the social services field. My experience includes case management, and assisting clients and families with obtaining services and resources. As a clinical therapist, I provided in-school mental health therapy for youth, starting from kindergarten through high school. My in-office clients’ ages started from six through teens, along with adults, and families. I have experience working with a variety of different populations, identities, cultures, and varying symptoms, and diagnosis’. I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused, Strengthens Based, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative and Psychodynamic Therapies, through the lens of empowerment and social justice. If I were to call out two of my field specialties, it would be the LGBTQIA+ community and children.

Education

Master of Social Work Degree (MSW), St. Ambrose University Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Human Services (Double Major), Buena Vista University

Can I Help You?

I treat patients for:

  • Anxiety, worry, stress, panic
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Depression, grief, loss, sadness
  • LGBTQIA+ Related Issues
  • OCD: Obsessive-Compulsive Thoughts or Actions
  • Relationship struggles (couple, family, or parenting)
  • Traumatic events/ Trauma/ PTSD
  • Other
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Angela Barnhurst