Hi, I’m Karis Poafpybitty
LMFT
My work centers on restoring connection—within individuals, couples, families, and the broader community. I offer culturally responsive therapy. From the beginning, I knew this was the work I was meant to do. I support clients in bringing their own spiritual beliefs and practices into the therapeutic process. I believe laughter is powerful medicine. I bring warmth, authenticity, and humor into sessions whenever possible.
I offer culturally responsive therapy and couples therapy informed by the Gottman Method. As a citizen of the Kiowa tribe and Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma with Comanche ancestry, my culture and spirituality are central to my own healing and grounding. I support clients in bringing their own spirituality and practices into the therapeutic process. I offer warmth, authenticity and, when appropriate, humor in sessions whenever possible.
I am passionate about healing intergenerational trauma. When adults carry unhealed wounds, those wounds often ripple through families and communities. My work centers on restoring connection—within individuals, couples, families and the broader community.
While training in EMDR, I recognized and worked through my own trauma, deepening both my personal healing and my clinical insight. In 2018, I opened my private practice, with a strong commitment to serving Indigenous communities—especially those living in urban settings. As a proud member of the Kiowa, Comanche, Cherokee, and Muscogee (Creek) Nations, I understand firsthand the complexity of integrating cultural belief systems with Western models of care. Much of what is called the biopsychosocial-spiritual model parallels the teachings of the medicine wheel and community-centered ways of healing that have long existed within our tribal traditions.
I earned my Master’s degree from Phillips Graduate Institute at Argosy University, where I fell in love with community-oriented work rooted in systems, families, and relationships. From the beginning, I knew this was the work I was meant to do. After returning to Oklahoma, I spent over a decade in community mental health, focusing on children and trauma. I believe that when we intervene early, we create the possibility for healthier, more successful adults. I am a citizen of e Kiowa tribe and Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma with Comanche ancestry.
I primarily work with adolescents (14+) and adults, and I welcome older adults as well. I deeply value children and elders, honoring their sacred role within our communities.
Oklahoma is home. I feel spiritually connected to this land and community, and that sense of belonging sustains both my life and my work. It is an honor to walk alongside others on their healing journey.
