Kara G. Anast

Dr. Anast has worked in a variety of settings, including inpatient, residential, and therapeutic day schools. Dr. Anast specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families. She provides individual and family therapy to clients with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Anxiety, Depression, and attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder along with other behavioral and emotional concerns.

Dr. Anast is also currently on the Lake County Custody Evaluator’s list and completes both custody evaluations and psychological evaluations for the court system.

Dr. Anast provides a nurturing and supportive environment, free from judgment, in order to develop a positive working relationship with each individual. Dr. Anast supports her clients by discovering personal strengths to build confidence and engages clients in the therapeutic process through play and supportive therapies, including cognitive-behavioral, non-directive play therapy, and mindfulness-based therapy approaches. Dr. Anast values a systems approach incorporating all aspects of the individual’s environment into the therapeutic process (i.e. school, work, family, social). She is passionate about working together with families, to put together their expertise on their child with her clinical knowledge to help the child progress. In addition to therapeutic services, she also conducts neuropsychological assessments and diagnostic evaluations at the Counseling Connections practice and therapeutic day schools.