Dr. Karen Lesniak earned her PhD in Clinical Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine from the University of North Texas, and previously earned two Masters degrees in Counseling Psychology and Exercise Science from Springfield College. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Sinai Samaritan Medical Center/University of Wisconsin Medical School, and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center/G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Consortium. Dr. Lesniak has had a lengthy career in which she has held a variety of professional roles. In addition to providing a range of clinical care, she has developed and implemented clinical programming within several healthcare systems, held university faculty positions (teaching/training doctoral level psychology students, medical students and residents), and is a published researcher as well as having presented at multiple conferences and other venues.

 

Dr. Lesniak specializes in working with adults experiencing a range of mental and physical difficulties. She has extensive experience providing care to individuals with acute and chronic medical concerns such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, chronic pain, fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue, GI issues, immunological ailments, and others. Dr. Lesniak’s clinical expertise includes therapeutic care for depression, anxiety, acute and chronic stressors, as well as individuals who want to make improvements in health-related behaviors such as sleep, physical activity, eating behaviors/weight management, and nicotine cessation. She also has clinical interest in ecoanxiety and solastalgia, and one’s relationship to the natural world. In addition, Dr. Lesniak has expertise working with the military and the effects of that culture on mental and physical wellness, with her most recent professional position having been on staff at Madigan Army Medical Center, from where she retired in 2025.

 

Dr. Lesniak’s approach to therapy is holistic, focusing on the whole person from a biopsychosocial-spiritual framework. She is deeply invested in supporting the mental and physical well-being of her clients. Her work is client-centered, humanistic, collaborative, evidence-based, and emphasizes solutions. She relies primarily on a range of cognitive-behavioral and somatic (body-based) strategies to support change, improve coping, and mind-body integration. Dr. Lesniak has also been a meditation teacher since 2010, and frequently incorporates principles and practices of mindfulness and compassion in her clinical care.