Liz Smith, LMHC, LCPC

Liz Smith is a licensed mental health counselor who helps people manage stress, anxiety, substance use, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, and challenges related to trauma. She draws on a client-centered approach to create a nonjudgmental space where clients can talk through what matters to them and make their own decisions. Liz also supports people facing career strain, sleep and eating issues, attention differences, and compassion fatigue.

With ten years of experience, Liz blends practical techniques with attentive listening. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy tools are offered for emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. Liz also incorporates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing when trauma work is needed, and she brings mindfulness skills into sessions to calm the nervous system.

Her sessions focus on what the client brings each week while keeping an eye on workable steps forward. Clients can expect a mix of exploring feelings in the moment and learning skills they can use between sessions. Liz makes room for identity-related issues, including LGBT concerns, and for complex situations like co-occurring substance use and mood disorders.

Liz practices in Florida and works in both English and Spanish. She emphasizes collaboration, helping people decide which methods fit their needs and goals. Over time she helps clients build routines and tools to cope with life changes and manage symptoms.

Background and approach include training in multiple trauma and behavioral methods and a focus on both short-term goals and longer-term healing. Her style stays practical and person-focused, aiming to balance insight with clear coping strategies.

How these approaches translate to online care

Client-centered work focuses on listening and meeting the person where they are. Online sessions let the therapist follow the client's lead, reflect what they say, and collaborate on goals in real time. This approach helps with relationship concerns, self-esteem issues, and general life stress.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, teaches practical steps to notice thoughts and change behaviors that keep problems going. Online CBT typically uses structured conversations, homework between sessions, and simple exercises that people can practice during the week to reduce anxiety or depressive symptoms.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is used for processing traumatic memories. The therapist has experience using EMDR via telehealth and can guide clients through trauma-focused exercises adapted for remote sessions when appropriate.

Choosing an approach is collaborative. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels manageable, and then try methods that match the client's needs. Sessions may shift as progress or challenges arise, with ongoing input from the client.

Confirm the specific session options before booking, since formats were not fully specified. The practical upside of online work is convenience - it can be easier to fit sessions into a busy week, choose shorter check-ins when needed, or avoid travel time. It can also make it simpler to use visual or audio exercises and to practice skills in real-life routines.