Karen B. Walant, PH.D., L.C.S.W.
A Mindful, Compassionate, and Practical Approach to Therapy
For more than three decades, I’ve helped people navigate anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, grief, codependency, trauma, and the deep longing to feel more secure, steady, and aligned with who they truly are. My work is grounded in mindfulness, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Buddhist psychology, attachment theory, and contemporary neuroscience—an integration that allows clients to feel both compassionately supported and practically guided.
I believe that growth and healing begin with awareness and learning to gently turn toward our experience rather than away from it. When we slow down and pay attention with curiosity and kindness, new possibilities emerge—ones that often feel out of reach when we’re overwhelmed, reactive, or stuck in old patterns.
In our work together, I help you develop a friendlier relationship with your thoughts, emotions, and nervous system, while also exploring the attachment patterns and life experiences that have shaped how you relate to yourself and others. Whether you’re seeking more ease, clarity, or secure connection, therapy helps you tap into your inner wisdom and cultivate a steadier sense of self.
I see my role as a collaborator and facilitator—someone who helps you connect to your inner, wisest self. You are the expert on your own life. My job is to help illuminate what may be hard to see when you’re caught in pain or self-judgment. I offer mindfulness-based tools, insight, and support as you foster new ways of living and relating while developing a caring relationship with your inner self.
Mindfulness, MBCT & Buddhist Psychology
Mindfulness is woven into all aspects of my work. As a long-time meditator and certified Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) teacher, I draw from practices that help quiet the inner critic, soften harsh thinking, steady the nervous system, and create space around emotional triggers.
My approach is also deeply influenced by Buddhist psychology, which emphasizes compassion, non-harm, and the belief that each person has the capacity to grow, heal, and transform. Together, we explore how mindfulness can help you:
Break old cycles of reactivity
Develop secure inner attachment
Shift your relationship with anxiety and intrusive thoughts
Release patterns rooted in fear, shame, or habit
Strengthen emotional resilience
Feel more grounded, centered, and connected
Over time, therapy and supportive practices help you build a new relationship with yourself—one rooted in kindness, steadiness, and trust.
Connection, Relationships & Secure Attachment
Much of my work centers on secure attachment therapy and relational healing. Our early experiences shape how we move through the world, but they do not have to determine our future. Therapy helps you develop a more secure internal base, increasing your capacity for healthy communication, emotional presence, and supportive relationships.
Whether you’re healing old wounds, navigating a difficult transition, or trying to understand yourself, a partner, or child more deeply, I offer an approach that is both compassionate and practical.
Credentials & Professional Background
I have been a practicing psychotherapist for over 30 years. I hold both an MSW and a Ph.D. in Clinical Social Work from New York University and have long served as a clinical supervisor for therapists in private practice.
My professional training includes:
Mindfulness & MBCT
Qualified MBCT Teacher (Level 3), trained at Brown University under MBCT co-founder Dr. Zindel Segal
Graduate of the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program with Tara Brach & Jack Kornfield
Certified Mindfulness Meditation Mentor
Graduate of the Certificate in Mindfulness and Psychotherapy program
Clinical Experience & Leadership
Featured presenter at Harvard University’s Cambridge Health Alliance (multiple times)
National lecturer on mindfulness, attachment, compassionate relationships, addiction & recovery, parenting, and healing
Former Adjunct Professor, New York University School of Social Work
Supervisor of clinicians in private practice
Consultant and writer on mental health and healing (published in outlets such as Well + Good)
Author of Creating the Capacity for Attachment, used in clinical and academic settings
A Little More On Me
I am a lifelong learner, endlessly fascinated by mindfulness, meditation, MBCT, Buddhist psychology, neuroscience, and the brain–body connection. Outside of my practice, I love to walk, swim, bike, meditate, and spend time in nature. I also like to challenge my body by running 5 - 15 K races several times a year.
Reading, writing, and continuing education are anchors in my life, as is my family. I experience great joy watching my three adult children and now one grandchild pursue meaningful lives of their own. I also cherish and learn so much from our three sibling cats, as well as enjoy a peaceful rhythm of life with my husband in our home by the lake, a place that continually provides beauty, wonder, and awe.
What You Need To Know
I work primarily through online therapy, and also see clients in person at my Massachusetts office. I am licensed to provide therapy in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, and New York, and can work with clients living in any of those states.
In addition to therapy, I offer mindfulness coaching and teach 8-Week Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Courses, working with clients around the United States and world in this capacity. I offer flexible scheduling, including daytime and evening appointments, with some weekend availability.
Our first step together is a complimentary 20–30 minute phone consultation. This gives us time to talk about what’s bringing you into therapy, what support you’re looking for, and whether my work feels like a good fit for your needs and therapy goals.
I’m happy to connect with you about scheduling an appointment. You can contact me by phone at 203-482-2402 or through email at karen@drkarenwalant.com.
Professional Bio
Dr. Karen Walant has been a practicing psychotherapist for over three decades. She holds an MSW and PhD in Clinical Social Work from New York University and has long served as a supervisor for clinicians in private practice. Karen has presented at Harvard University’s Cambridge Health Alliance and lectured nationally on attachment, mindfulness, meditation, addiction and recovery, parenting with kindness, and cultivating compassionate relationships. She is the author of Creating the Capacity for Attachment: Treating Addictions and the Alienated Self.
Rooted in mindfulness and Buddhist psychology, Karen integrates contemporary clinical insight with contemplative practice. A long-time meditator and teacher, she is a graduate of the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield and is also a certified Mindfulness Meditation Mentor. She completed the Certificate in Mindfulness and Psychotherapy through the Institute for Mindfulness and Psychotherapy.
Karen is trained in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and is a qualified MBCT Teacher (level 3) from Brown University. Her 8-week MBCT course is recognized by Brown as eligible for entry into their Foundations training for those pursuing MBCT teacher certification.
