Kiara Hartwell Opara is a Certified IFS Therapist, LCPC in Maryland and LPC in Virginia, with 15+ years of clinical experience. She specializes in working with highly self-aware adults who keep losing themselves in people-pleasing, over-functioning, and perfectionism, even though they understand exactly why.

For speaking, workshop, and collaboration inquiries: kiara@kjhartwell.com

Press

Conversations & features where this work has reached a wider audience

Podcast features

Return by Caitlan Siegenthaler • Guest episode

A conversation on parts work, perfectionism, and what it means to stop performing wellness.

The Yes You Didn't Mean with Kiara Hartwell Opara

Grow by Josh Haynam • Guest episode

This is for the high achievers who still feel depleted....
You checked the boxes. You got the degrees. You built the career. From the outside, your life looks successful, so why doesn't it feel that way?

Calm, Connection, & Effective Leadership

Good Neighbor Virginia Beach • Guest episode

Kiara Hartwell Opara is a licensed psychotherapist in Maryland and Virginia and is the owner of KJ Hartwell, LLC where she provides individual psychotherapy, clinical supervision, and clinical coaching services.

KJ Hartwell, LLC | Kiara Hartwell Opara

Mental Health Emergency Fund • Guest episode

In this episode, Kiara shares the concept around Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and how it’s a treatment modality for people who may want to process trauma and engage their body in the healing process. The idea around IFS is that we have sub-personalities or “parts,” that can experienced through beliefs, emotions, bodily sensations, images, impulses, psychological responses and sounds.

IFS with Kiara Hartwell Opara

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Press

Conversations & features where this work has reached a wider audience

Blog features

Madame Noire

When your partner makes your life brighter, you know. And if you question it, well…You can probably guess what that means.

9 Signs Your Partner Is Dimming Your Light

Madame Noire

Not everyone grows up with the same understanding of what it means to be a friend, or what healthy expectations are of friends.

Do Your Friends Treat You Like A Therapist?

Madame Noire

Even though your family has instilled you with values and ideas about what you’re on this earth to do, you’ve developed some of your own. They may be different from your family’s ideas for you, about your purpose. That is okay.

How To Deal When Your Family Doesn’t Support Your Dreams

Voyage Baltimore

Community Highlights: Meet Kiara Hartwell Opara of KJ Hartwell, LLC and Thoughtfully Elevating, LLC

Community Highlights

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Baltimore Sun

For all the wrong reasons, local mental health practitioners are seeing a substantial uptick in...

Pandemic Paradigm: Baltimore County mental health therapists, clients adapt to new dynamic

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Subkit

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kiara Hartwell Opara, Founder of KJ Hartwell, LLC, located in Virginia Beach, VA, USA.

Navigating Your Mental Health Journey - KJ Hartwell

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Collaborations

Conversations & features where this work has reached a wider audience

Dropbox

30-45 minute workshop for undergraduate and graduate students in the black and latinx community.

Imposter Syndrome & Career Coaching

Colorstack

45-60 minute workshop for college students in the black and latinx community

Conquering Imposter Syndrome

Women's Collective

In person retreat in Virginia Beach, hosting 60+ women sharing on internal family systems. This event included additional women who led a grounding exercise, a meditation, sound bath, and group processing. 

Internal Family Systems