About Dr. Kari O’Neill

Dr. Kari O’Neill, DSW, LICSW, has a Doctorate of Social Work and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Washington State.

Dr. O’Neill has experience working with a wide spectrum of patients. Among her areas of expertise are anxiety, depression, life transitions, new healthcare diagnosis, chronic health conditions, disability, intellectual and developmental disabilities, grief and loss, end of life support, family dynamics, parent/child relationships, and marital counseling. Prior to her employment at Swedish Medical Center as a clinical social worker, Dr. O’Neill worked in many social service settings including a rape treatment center, a health care clinic, and as a workshop facilitator for the Sibling Support Project at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Additionally, Dr. O’Neill completed her clinical trainings at the Seattle City Attorney’s Office as a child abuse advocate and served as an outpatient therapist at Swedish Family Medicine.

Dr. O’Neill is an interactive, solution-focused therapist. Her therapeutic approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help patients effectively address personal life challenges. She integrates complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each patient. With compassion and understanding, Dr. O’Neill works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.

Education

Kari has a Doctorate in Social Work from Tulane University. Kari also has a Masters degree in Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, both from the University of Washington.

License, Certifications & Awards

Kari is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the State of Washington (LW60313502) and an approved licensed supervisor in the State of Washington.

Additional Training

Kari has received additional training on anxiety, grief and loss, palliative care, challenging childhood behaviors, intellectual and developmental disabilities, geriatric mental health, and LGBTQIA+ issues.

Professional Activities and Memberships

Kari serves as an Affiliated Medical Staff Member with Swedish Medical Center Issaquah. Kari is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the American Psycholoigical Association. Kari also writes a blog called Ask Kari”.

Office staff

Mandy Evans

OFFICE MANAGER

RECENT ASK KARI Blog Post Articles

Ask Kari: How can I prevent myself from giving in to my brother’s holiday season bullying?

Ask Kari: How can I prevent myself from giving in to my brother’s holiday season bullying?

I have a hang over from the holiday season, as my brother demanded yet again that all our family members come to his house for Christmas Eve dinner. We don’t hear from him for most of the year until early November when he sends us an email invite (a.k.a demand) that we drive three hours to his home on Christmas Eve for dinner. He got nasty this year, telling us that “we needed to attend the dinner or else”. We did, but now I am mad at myself for giving into his demands and bullying behavior. How can I prevent this in the future?

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what PATIENTS are SAYING

all patient feedback is anonymous

"Dr. O’Neill provides a safe space to talk out concerns. She gives me actionable ideas to work through challenging issues."

“Kari’s support, experience, and expertise helped me directly to deal with a huge family problem. The jury isn’t in yet as far as the results of my actions, but at least I know I did the right thing for my family member. I am so grateful!”

"She is open, honest, caring, very easy to talk to."

"Always so thoughtful and kind!! And has helped me a lot with my issues!"

"Kari is like visiting with a friend, an honest friend. Someone who challenges you to see a situation or circumstance for what it really is and then helps you troubleshoot through it. Guiding you to healthy new boundaries and giving you the confidence to keep those boundaries in place."

"Kari is an excellent health care provider and I would recommend her services to anyone I know."

"Kari has been not only my therapist but good friend. Her help has given me a much more positive attitude about life problems. She always has the answers I need to hear. I highly recommend Kari!"