With a B.A in Clinical Child Psychology and a Master of Science in Public Health, Karen Digby Dripps is a knowledgeable and passionate speaker, educator, and author. Her violence prevention and relationship enrichment program “Be Smart Guard Your Heart” teaches youth and young adults healthy relationship formation and abuse prevention skills and reaches thousands of students in classrooms and assemblies.
Karen (pen name Addison) has authored the book Lizzy Lives In An Angry House, a children’s self- help book on living in an “angry” house. With wisdom and practical experience, she gives readers young and old alike an empathetic approach to recognizing emotionally destructive (scary) relationships and tools to help those living in “scary angry” homes overcome and break the cycle of abuse.
Karen’s expertise extends well beyond the academic. She has experienced unhealthy relationship dynamics both as a child and an adult and knows personally how painful and confusing these can be. Her great sensitivity toward young persons’ hearts as they struggle with conflicting emotions and thoughts at a very vulnerable time in their lives motivates her to reach out to children as well as adults who are trapped in “angry houses.” In line with this ongoing concern, she specializes in helping youth and young adults identify, prevent, and move forward from destructive relationships and learn to live in healthy, positive ways with themselves and others. Karen has completed numerous advanced domestic violence trainings to hone her proficiency as an advocate for those in destructive relationships and eminently qualify her to counsel, speak, and write about this all too prevalent situation that affect so many lives. Karen is married and has three children and two grandchildren.