Anxiety, stress, and burnout
Make sense of the thoughts, pressures, or expectations that leave you feeling stuck, exhausted, or stretched thin.
A place to feel heard, find clarity, and move forward.
Supportive, conversational therapy for older teens and adults navigating anxiety, trauma, burnout, chronic stress, and life's harder seasons.
A calm place to begin
Our mission
A place to feel understood and move toward meaningful change.
Kari Vrban Therapy offers a welcoming and affirming space where people can slow down, feel understood, and work through the experiences shaping their lives. The goal is to help each person better understand themselves, build on their strengths, and move toward meaningful change.
Reasons people begin therapy
Support for the season you are in.
Trauma and difficult experiences
Build understanding, safety, and steadier ways of moving through experiences that continue to affect daily life.
Relationships and boundaries
Explore patterns, strengthen communication, and build relationships that feel more honest and sustainable.
Identity and self-worth
Explore identity, reconnect with your values, and develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
A collaborative approach
Therapy should feel like a conversation, not a performance.
Kari believes therapy should be collaborative, honest, and grounded in each person's lived experience. Her role is not to tell people how to live or assume she has all the answers. Instead, she works alongside clients to explore what they are carrying, recognize patterns, build practical skills, and find a path forward that feels authentic to them.
Kari understands that beginning therapy can feel uncertain or vulnerable. She works to create a space where clients can speak openly, move at their own pace, and show up as they are.
Meet Kari
Kari Vrban
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) · Practice owner
Kari works with older teens and adults and has particular experience supporting LGBTQ+ clients, people living with chronic illness, and those in high-stress healthcare and caregiving roles.
Her approach is person-centered, strengths-based, culturally sensitive, and trauma-focused. Depending on your needs, sessions may also draw from acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, compassion-focused work, motivational interviewing, and somatic approaches.
Training and education
Kari earned her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Iowa and her Master of Social Work from St. Ambrose University.
View Kari's Psychology Today profilePractice details
Flexible care in Iowa City and online.
In person or telehealth
Meet in Suite 203 of the Paul–Helen Building in downtown Iowa City or through a secure online session.
Evening and weekend options
Appointments are available outside traditional daytime hours.
Insurance
Kari accepts Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Contact Kari to confirm coverage for your plan.
Start with a conversation
Request a consultation.
Kari offers a free 15-minute consultation so you can talk about what you are looking for, ask questions, and decide whether working together feels like a good fit.
Please do not include sensitive health information in this initial message.
Contact Kari
Interested in working together?
Email Kari to ask about availability or request an introductory conversation. A sentence or two is enough to begin.
Email Kari Call (319) 319-4441Please do not include medical, mental-health, or other sensitive information in your email.