Katie Smith , LCMHC

Katie Smith is a licensed clinical mental health counselor (LCMHC) based in North Carolina with five years of experience. She focuses on helping people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, self-esteem, and life changes. Katie also supports people coping with relationship concerns, parenting strain, grief, LGBT issues, and mood challenges including bipolar disorder.

She takes a straightforward, down-to-earth approach in sessions. Katie listens first, then helps people set practical goals and steps they can try between meetings. She uses clear, simple tools drawn from cognitive behavioral ideas and mindfulness to help change unhelpful thoughts and build new habits.

Katie often uses skills from dialectical behavior therapy and solution-focused techniques to help when emotions feel overwhelming or problems need clearer direction. Motivational interviewing also guides conversations when someone wants to make changes but feels unsure how to start. These methods are used as tools to fit each person's situation rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.

Sessions may be short check-ins or longer talks depending on what someone needs that week. Katie aims to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where people can talk honestly about what’s hard and try small steps toward feeling better. She believes people are the experts on their lives and works alongside them to clarify goals and build practical skills.

People who prefer plain language and concrete strategies often connect well with Katie's style. She works in English and practices from North Carolina as an LCMHC.

Approach and online care that fit your life

Katie uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people notice patterns of thinking that keep problems going and to practice different behaviors that lead to better results. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, and many everyday struggles where changing thoughts and actions can reduce distress.

She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy skills to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication when feelings feel extreme. DBT-informed tools can be helpful for managing strong emotions, improving relationships, and reducing crisis moments.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Katie will collaborate with each person to decide which methods suit their goals and preferences and may combine techniques as needs change. The client and therapist make those decisions together rather than following a fixed plan.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which make it easier to fit care into a busy life. Video is good for a fuller conversation, phone can work when bandwidth is limited, live chat and text are useful for brief check-ins or steady support between sessions. These formats provide flexibility for scheduling, shorter check-ins, and different ways to communicate based on what feels most practical for the person.