Cathy Smith , LPC

Cathy Smith began her career working in a residential treatment home for youth with emotional and mental health challenges after earning undergraduate degrees in Sociology with a focus on Criminology and in Spanish. That early experience sparked a lasting interest in psychology and counseling, and after starting a family she returned to school to earn a teaching certificate and a master’s degree in Special Education. Years of teaching in institutional, public, private, and alternative settings led her to seek more time for listening and conversation with students, and she completed a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology before earning licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a credential that denotes professional training and authorization to provide counseling services.

Cathy applies a strength-based, person-focused philosophy in her work, believing that relationship is central to effective therapy just as it is to effective teaching. She attends to each person’s cultural background, religion, sexual orientation, work life, and belief systems while also remaining aware of her own professional limits. Her experience spans clients from age four through seventy-nine and includes work with depression, anxiety, PTSD, grief, trauma, sexual and physical abuse, parenting challenges, learning disabilities, and people on the autism spectrum.

In session Cathy draws from a flexible toolkit tailored to each client’s goals. She uses motivational interviewing, client-centered techniques, solution-focused strategies, psychoeducation, mindfulness practices, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and build on their existing strengths. Her approach emphasizes collaboration and practical steps toward greater wellbeing and resilience.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Cathy Smith draws on client-centered therapy, which centers the person s own experience and priorities so that the therapist follows the client s lead and supports personal meaning and growth. This approach is helpful for people seeking a respectful, collaborative space to explore identity, values, relationships, and life choices.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a practical method that looks at the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT is often used to address anxiety, depression, and habit patterns by teaching skills for changing unhelpful thinking and building new coping strategies.

Mindfulness therapy is another tool Cathy incorporates to help clients develop present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity. Mindfulness-based exercises can support stress management, emotional regulation, and improved attention.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Cathy works collaboratively with each client to identify which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors techniques and adjusts the plan as the work evolves, inviting clients into shared decision making.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility for people with busy schedules or limited local options. Cathy provides sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing clients to choose the format that fits their routines and comfort. These options make it easier to maintain consistency in care and access therapists from different locations while working toward meaningful change.