Karissa Krul, Clinical Director

As an experienced Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Karissa Krul serves as the Clinical Director at South Shore Recovery Center. Since 2016, Karissa has worked with diverse populations across a variety of treatment settings to effect recovery from substance use disorders. She has worked and supervised therapy services at all levels of care, specializing in early recovery and stabilization. Over the course of her career, Karissa has completed specialized training in a number of interventions and modalities which are effective in treating substance use disorders.

With a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology, Karissa recognizes the unique needs of patients whose addiction concerns have negatively influenced other domains of their lives. Karissa graduated with her master’s in 2017, initiating her counseling career doing court evaluations and outpatient therapy for patients struggling with legal concerns. She focused her work on advocating for increased mental health supports for individuals struggling with complex mental health and addiction concerns. Since, she shifted to work directly with patients with acute recovery needs, assisting them as they stabilize and move along the spectrum of treatment.

Karissa believes in providing high quality of care to patients at South Shore Recovery Center, especially given the courage but vulnerability present in a patient’s recovery work. She encourages the treatment team to embody the same philosophy, individualizing their approach with a patient to the patient’s needs and what they are motivated to accomplish on their journey. She works to foster an environment of hope, empowerment, and flexibility for both patients and treatment staff, acknowledging that recovery is not always a linear path.

Outside of the workplace, Karissa enjoys exercise to unwind, though often outrun by her two rescue dogs. She balances her love of work with the simple joys of life: good meals with her friends and family, hosting kickball tournaments in her backyard, and playing video games that were likely “cool” 20 years ago.