- Years in practice
- 30
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- New York, California, Virginia, Washington
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- LGBT
- Focus
- Relationship issues
About Kelly
Kelly Smith is a licensed clinical social worker with three decades of psychotherapy experience. Kelly helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, parenting pressures, grief, relationship problems, substance concerns, or identity and LGBT-related issues. The style is warm and interactive, aimed at making people feel heard and respected from the first conversation.
Kelly uses straightforward talk and practical tools rather than jargon. Sessions focus on what is happening now and what can be changed, with attention to thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
Background and approach
Clients can expect clear, collaborative goals and techniques drawn from several evidence-informed approaches. Over a long career Kelly has worked with trauma, mood concerns such as depression and bipolar, attention challenges like ADHD, and complicated life transitions. That background informs how Kelly supports people handling grief, compassion fatigue, and the stress of parenting.
The aim is to reduce overwhelm and strengthen everyday coping skills. Conversations are adapted to each person. Kelly blends client-centered listening with cognitive and behavioral strategies and mindfulness practices.
The process also integrates longer-term thinking about patterns when that helps solve recurring struggles. People who prefer a thoughtful, steady guide often find this approach useful. Kelly brings years of practice and a focus on practical steps you can use between sessions.
The goal is steady progress toward clearer thinking, calmer reactions, and more manageable days.
What Kelly works with
Everything Kelly lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Kelly helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Depression
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Kelly lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Systemic Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that translate well to online therapy
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening closely and responding with respect. It helps people feel understood and supports self-directed change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts and behaviors keep problems going and teaches concrete skills to shift those patterns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and better interpersonal interactions and is useful for intense emotions and relationship struggles.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Kelly will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. That conversation guides whether sessions emphasize thought-focused exercises, mindfulness and emotional skills, or a more exploratory, long-term view. The clinician and client decide the mix collaboratively and adjust as progress is made.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video allows face-to-face interaction for skill practice and deeper dialogue, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or messaging work for brief check-ins, skill coaching, or clients who prefer written communication. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy family and work schedules and to maintain continuity across life changes.
Questions people ask about Kelly
What concerns does Kelly commonly address?
Kelly works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, intimacy-related issues, parenting concerns, and ADHD.
What is Kelly's therapeutic style like?
Sessions are warm, interactive, and respectful. Kelly uses direct conversation, validation, and practical tools tailored to each person's needs.
How much clinical experience does Kelly have?
Kelly has 30 years of experience as a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, offering long-term perspective on complex and recurring concerns.
What credentials and location does Kelly hold?
Kelly holds the LCSW credential and practices from Virginia with licensure in New York and Virginia as NY LCSW and VA LCSW.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and communication preferences.
How does the cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist arrangements; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Kelly?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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