Dr. Shawanda Woods-Smith , LA Psychologist 1298

Dr. Shawanda Woods-Smith offers calm, practical help for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, or major life changes. She is a Louisiana psychologist (LA Psychologist 1298) with 16 years of experience. Dr. Woods-Smith writes plainly and focuses on real steps that can fit into a busy life.

Her sessions center on the person sitting across from her. She listens, helps identify what matters most, and works with each client to set clear, manageable goals. Many clients come with worries about depression, career decisions, parenting strain, or problems with intimacy and communication. She also supports people navigating addiction, bipolar struggles, ADHD, and identity concerns for LGBT people.

Dr. Woods-Smith uses tools from client-centered work, cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused methods. That means conversations are practical and geared toward what you want to change. She mixes skill-building with short-term goal work when helpful.

Her background includes long-term clinical practice in Louisiana and a focus on family-of-origin issues, blended family concerns, caregiver stress, and immigration-related worries. She also addresses domestic violence, forgiveness, guilt, and end-of-life counseling in a direct way.

Sessions are offered in English and delivered through video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. People start by completing a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a time that fits their life.

How evidence-based methods work online

Dr. Woods-Smith uses client-centered care to focus each session on the person's priorities. This approach emphasizes active listening, empathy, and shaping goals together, which helps when someone needs straightforward support for relationships, parenting, or identity concerns.

She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy, which looks at patterns of thought and behavior and teaches practical skills to change them. CBT can help with anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life changes by giving clear tools to practice between sessions.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will review needs, goals, and preferences and suggest which methods to try first. Clients and the therapist adjust the plan over time based on what is helpful and what feels manageable.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video works well for full conversations and visual cues. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited or a simpler check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging fit shorter updates, quick problem-solving, or people who prefer not to be on camera. These options offer flexibility to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or other busy schedules.