Exploring Life & Business with Chas Karakey of Claibourne Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chas Karakey.

Hi Chas, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
There is no greater privilege than helping people navigate the complex webs of life and witnessing them overcome the remarkable challenges that have kept them stuck. After five years of clinical practice, Claire became determined to find a way to support her clients’ happiness and growth while also nurturing her own. Out of that vision, she founded Claibourne Counseling – a space created to offer therapists an environment where they can thrive, perform at their highest potential, and bring their best selves to the work of helping others heal.

From the beginning, Claire and I have embraced partnership and friendship as the foundation of everything we do. We have built our relationship on mutual respect and a shared drive to help each other become the best versions of ourselves. I am a businessman with a healer’s heart and left my corporate career to join Claire as the Operations Director at Claibourne Counseling in late 2020. My goal has always been to give therapists the freedom and support they need to focus fully on their clients and their craft.

Founded in early 2020, just as the world was shifting under the weight of the global pandemic, we’ve poured our hearts and souls into building Claibourne Counseling. Guiding people through the uncertainty and transformation of this new decade has been both humbling and deeply fulfilling. Today, the practice stands as a testament to our shared belief in compassion, growth, and the importance of creating a safe, nurturing environment where both therapists and clients can truly flourish. To learn more about our story and mission, please visit https://claibournecounseling.com/our-story/.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The journey to build Claibourne Counseling has not been an easy one. Rather than continuing to pursue additional certifications early on, Claire chose a different path – two and a half years of her own personal counseling. She believed that to be a truly effective therapist and leader, she needed to deepen her self-awareness and strengthen her own foundation. That experience profoundly shaped her both personally and professionally. After completing her own therapeutic work, she went on to become certified in EMDR therapy and later became an EMDR consultant, training and mentoring our team to reach that same level of expertise as it is more than just symptom management. Along the way, we also invested in marriage counseling and worked closely with a business coach to ensure we were building our practice – and partnership – with clarity, intention, and balance. The process of hiring has been another challenge, as we’ve been committed to finding the very best therapists in Arizona. There have been missteps and lessons along the way, but each experience has helped refine our vision and strengthen the Claibourne brand into the thriving, values-driven practice it is today.

As you know, we’re big fans of Claibourne Counseling. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Claibourne Counseling, our mission is grounded in three guiding principles that shape everything we do. Our foremost belief is simple yet powerful: take care of your team, and they will take care of their clients. We recognize that therapy is deeply rewarding but also demanding work, so we prioritize the well-being of our therapists. We offer a three- to four-day work week, performance incentives, continuing education opportunities, and direct support from Claire, our Clinical Director. By fostering balance, growth, and care within our team, we empower our therapists to show up fully for the clients who rely on them.

Our second mission is to be unwavering mental health advocates. No matter who reaches out, we make it our responsibility to ensure they receive the right care – whether that means working with us or connecting with other professionals. We provide referrals to other trusted therapists, psychiatrists, inpatient facilities, IOPs, psychologists, and specialists in high-conflict divorce matters. Our commitment is to help every person who calls find the support and resources they need to improve their mental health and well-being even if it is outside of our office.

Finally, our third mission is to break the stigma around mental health. We believe that seeking therapy should be seen as an act of strength, not weakness or crisis. In today’s world, you don’t need to be struggling to benefit from counseling – in fact, the best mental health work often happens when life is somewhat stable. At Claibourne Counseling, we’re proud to help normalize therapy as a proactive, empowering step toward personal growth, balance, and fulfillment – helping others to live intentionally.

At Claibourne Counseling, we are known for offering a wide range of evidence-based modalities, with EMDR therapy at the heart of our work. EMDR allows us to go beyond surface-level coping or short-term symptom relief by helping clients address the deeper experiences that continue to influence their present-day thoughts, emotions, and reactions. Our approach helps clients move from a place of reactivity to one of calm awareness and choice – allowing them to respond thoughtfully rather than react automatically. By integrating EMDR with other techniques, we guide our clients in releasing the emotional charge behind old wounds so they can experience more peace, resilience, and freedom in their daily lives.

How do you define success?
At Claibourne Counseling, we define success by the positive impact we create for both our therapists and our clients. For our team, success means providing the support, resources, and environment they need to reach their professional goals, grow as clinicians, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. For our clients, success is reflected in their progress, well-being, and movement toward their mental health goals. We understand that growth is rarely linear – it often involves missteps, reflection, and resilience. Even setbacks can represent meaningful progress when they lead to deeper self-awareness and renewed commitment to healing. Sometimes, success is simply showing up, being brave, and continuing the work. We strive to be innovators in the counseling field by creating a practice that prioritizes both exceptional client care and the satisfaction and longevity of our therapists. By investing in our team through competitive compensation, professional development, and consistent support, we foster a culture where therapists thrive and clients receive the highest level of care – a genuine reflection of success at Claibourne Counseling.

Pricing:

• 80-minute intake $230 to $310
• 50-minute session for $130 to $210
• 80-minute session for $230 to $310
• We don’t take insurance

Contact Info:

• Website: https://claibournecounseling.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claibournecounseling/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Claibournecounseling
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/71858118/admin/dashboard/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@claibournecounseling
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/claibourne-counseling-scottsdale?osq=Claibourne+Counseling