Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in Bend, OR

I work with adults from all backgrounds and experiences. I will help you achieve your goals, reduce symptoms, and develop the life you envision.

Hi, I’m KaMara, affectionately known as “KK.” I support children, adolescents, and adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, identity awareness, relationship concerns, work-life balance, and life transitions. After nearly two decades in healthcare operations, I expanded my work to mental and emotional well-being, drawing on personal and professional experience in inpatient and outpatient settings. I’m dedicated to helping you heal, feel, and recover.

​

I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Fisk University, a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from The University of Kentucky, and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Avila University. I am a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP), a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Kansas, Alaska, Missiouri, and Oregon, and Career and Relationship Coach in the state of Indiana. I also have a certification in Child and Adolescent therapy. My scope of practice includes: Anxiety, Bullying/School Stressors, Career & Couples Coaching, Conflict Management, Depression, Domestic Violence, Eating Disorders, Grief/Loss, Identity Awareness, Spiritual Exploration, Suicide Prevention, Trauma, & Work/Life Balance. I specialize in mindfulness, career and life coaching, cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, child and adolescent therapy, and play therapy.

Welcome! Being human can be quite challenging at times. Seeking help takes courage, so congratulations on taking that step! As a licensed clinical social worker I find it a privilege to serve clients and to be trusted in deeply moving and meaningful conversations and provide compassionate support as well as challenge when called for. I believe in providing people with skills that they can utilize across their lifetime. .

I obtained my license in 2006 but had been providing qualified mental health support through non-profit agencies since 1992. I particularly enjoy working with people on relational issues, dynamics, and communications - skills all of us need and few of us were supported in obtaining.,

As a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), I believe every person deserves to be heard, understood, and treated as more than a diagnosis. I take the time to understand the whole person, considering the biological, psychological, social, and lifestyle factors that influence mental health. I provide compassionate, evidence-based care for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults, creating personalized treatment plans that support lasting wellness. My goal is to help you feel supported, empowered, and confident throughout your mental health journey.

I’m warm, down-to-earth, and genuinely invested in the people I work with. I want therapy to feel like a safe, comfortable conversation where you can show up exactly as you are—even on the days when you don’t quite know what to say.

I use empathy, honesty, and humor in my sessions, and I’m not afraid to be direct when I think it will help you grow. I’ll validate what you’re feeling, but I’ll also gently challenge you to look at patterns, consider different perspectives, and recognize the things that may be keeping you stuck. I’m not the kind of therapist who will simply nod for an hour while you do all the work.

I believe you are the expert on your own life. My job is to listen, help you make sense of what you’re experiencing, and give you practical tools to create meaningful change. We can talk about the hard things, celebrate the wins, laugh when we need to, and work together toward helping you feel more like the person you want to be.

As a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, my path to psychiatry was shaped by over eight years as a bedside nurse. I watched patients face fear and uncertainty that often went unaddressed — and I knew those feelings deserved their own dedicated space. That's what brought me to outpatient psychiatry. I work with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults, and I have experience treating depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, OCD, trauma, substance use, and more — including LGBTQ+ individuals and those navigating maternal mental health, grief, and chronic illness.

My experience is centered on collaborating with youth, adults, and families. During these developing years and shifting dynamics, additional care for our health is needed. I work with emotional regulation, relational rifts, enhancing communication, and acceptance of self.

With attachment focused therapy as my base, I utilize mindfulness and experiential approaches in our work together. Our conversations and therapeutic activities are guided by your experience and goals.

I became a psychiatric nurse practitioner because I did my own work first — after years in a career that looked fine from the outside and felt hollow on the inside, something finally clicked. I live with ADHD and ASD myself, and I'll be direct: it makes me better at this. I'm wired to hold fine details and the big picture simultaneously, connect patterns across a history, and notice what other providers might miss. I work especially well with children and adolescents (ages 6+), perinatal and antepartum folks, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people who are AFAB or identify as women — many navigating ADHD, autism, PTSD, PMDD, OCD, mood disorders, or a diagnosis that never quite fit. If previous providers didn't get the full picture of you, that's exactly the gap I'm here to close.