Karen Muranko
Certified Mental Health Worker
Free
Anxiety Wellness Mentor Expert
Karen Muranko Quick Facts
- Main Areas
- Mental Wellness Mentor, Mental Wellness Advocate
- Career Focus
- Mentor, Speaker and Educating Medical/Mental Health Professionals and Emergency Medical Personnel about Anxiety Disorder
- Affiliation
- Presenter for NAMI'S "In Our Own Voice" program, Six-Year Toastmaster Member and District Officer
- Karen Muranko has personally experienced the extreme challenges one may face living with Panic Disorder. She was hostage to sometimes-daily panic attacks. She lived with this disorder for 20 years before she was diagnosed and an additional 10 years until she was fortunate enough to meet a group of people who helped her achieve mental wellness.
Functioning from day to day and continuing to work became difficult at times. Since she wasn't sure what was going on or if something was wrong with her, she didn’t talk to anyone about her condition. She would go to the restroom or to her car and wait out the panic episode, head back to work and try to get through the day. At times she just couldn’t do it and had to go home.
After numerous phone calls, Karen finally found a doctor who thought he may know what was going on. During the office visit, Karen heard the words for the first time-You have Panic Disorder. She was prescribed medication but was not given other treatment or therapy options to help her overcome her disorder. The medication helped greatly at first and, although not always critical, the panic attacks continued.
After much trial and error, Karen became frustrated about not seeing results and dealt with her panic disorder on her own, in her own way for several years. She read books and took some classes in relaxation techniques which she used when she had a panic attack hoping these techniques would help to, at least, minimize the symptoms.
In June 2002, Karen started working with three female practitioners who used different techniques which started her on her path to recovery. Hypnotherapy was the key to stopping the panic attacks and then came the challenge…changing her perception from someone with Panic Disorder to someone who could achieve recovery and continue to be anxiety-free and mentally healthy.
The practitioners Karen works with believe that there are many factors and facets as to why one person develops panic or anxiety disorder and another doesn’t... even in people who come from similar backgrounds or from dysfunctional families. Karen now believes this as well. Since panic or anxiety disorder can be a multi-faceted disorder, a multi-faceted approach to achieving recovery makes perfect sense.
Her life challenges and journey to recovery helped her realize it was more than just being panic and anxiety free. She wanted to recreate herself as a non-panicked, non-anxious person and be able to assist others in finding the right people, doctors, therapists, techniques and treatments to guide them towards their own path to recovery. She believes that by exploring the many options available, more people can achieve mental wellness.
Karen now feels that she has accomplished her goal of being panic-free and enjoys the benefits of living without the constant worries that can accompany panic disorder. She is a completely different and happier Karen than she was before her recovery. She truly likes the person she is today and wants to offer hope to those living with panic or anxiety disorder believe that recovery and mental wellness is achievable.
Free Audio & Video Samples
Articles by this expert
SelfGrowth articles and saved writing connected to this expert.
Article
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder in the United States and probably the world. It affects millions of men, women and children of all ages and from all backgrounds. Anxiety disorders cost more than $42 billion a year, almost one-third of the country's $148 billion ...
Recently added
Article
Take Charge Of Your Mental Health
My mind is an incredible mechanism. It allows me to perform all of the functions I need to go about my daily affairs. It is also my enemy. My mind is creating terrifying thoughts, feelings and emotions over which I have no control. At first I feel as if my feet are not touching the ground. ...
Recently added
Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from Karen Muranko
From Joel Osteen: "God can help you turn your Mess into a Message." This resonates with me because I thought my many years of living with Panic Disorder was such a mess. Now I've turned my mess into a message.
My quotes: "View your present situation as you would a television program. If you don't like what you see, change the channel."
"If we're not learning something every day from every situation, we're not paying close enough attention."
Contacting Karen Muranko
http://www.AnxietyWellnessMentor.com
626-289-4835
...and begin to Take Charge of Your Mental Health!
Other highlights
Personalized One-on-One Mentoring Sessions
Your first session consists of an evaluation to discuss where you are in your recovery program. What has worked for you and what hasn’t? Discuss treatments, techniques and therapies that could bring you closer to achieving recovery. How to be pro-active when it comes to choosing therapists, doctors and practitioners that believe in your mental wellness and are willing to work with you on achieving your goals.
Subsequent sessions consist of reviewing your progress, what has shown results and identifying if you need to make adjustments or changes to your program. Mentoring services also offer encouragement and support to help keep you on track towards becoming anxiety-free.
Phone mentoring sessions are offered nationwide.
Complimentary 15-minute phone consultation.
One-hour telephone session: $80.00
1/2 hour telephone session: $40.00
Monthly Anxiety Wellness Support Group in Pasadena, Califo ia
Mental Wellness Boot Camp
Coming Soon (Los Angeles Area Only)
There will be discussions about treatment options, different techniques and modalities and time to share your stories and encourage one another towards as they start their journey to mental wellness.
Boot Camp consists of four weekly two-hour sessions. Boot Camp is limited to ten participants. Once Boot Camp starts, the group will close and no new participants will join. This allows the participants to get to know each other and allows for consistency in the program. Boot Camp is for those who are serious about taking charge of their mental health.