Kristen Smith, LMHC

Kristen Smith is a licensed mental health counselor with 27 years of experience practicing in Florida. She focuses on helping people who face anxiety, depression, addiction struggles, relationship pain, and major life changes. Kristen speaks plainly and aims to make the first steps toward help feel manageable and practical.

She uses approaches grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered work to notice patterns, try new habits, and build on what already works. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are included when people need tools for emotion regulation and distress tolerance. Sessions are collaborative and paced to what each person can handle.

Kristen often helps people who are coping with grief, career stress, parenting strain, sleep or eating difficulties, and compassion fatigue. She also offers support around identity and intimacy concerns, ADHD, bipolar mood challenges, and the effects of trauma and attachment wounds. The focus is on small, usable changes rather than jargon or quick fixes.

Her style is respectful and straightforward. She listens for strengths, points out unhelpful patterns, and coaches practical steps clients can try between meetings. Kristen encourages self-compassion while working toward clearer goals and better daily routines.

People who choose her tend to want a mix of skills-based work and empathic conversation. She helps clients set realistic goals, track progress, and adjust the plan as life shifts. The aim is steady, sustainable change that fits each person’s life.

How evidence-based approaches work online

Kristen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and then helps people test small changes that can reduce anxiety, depression, or unhealthy habits. Client-centered therapy means she listens closely and follows each person's priorities while offering warmth and nonjudgmental support. Dialectical Behavior Therapy supplies concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and better interpersonal interactions when feelings feel overwhelming.

Finding the right therapeutic combination is part of the work. She will collaborate with the client to choose which tools to try, adapt methods to real-life challenges, and adjust the plan over time based on what helps and what doesn’t. The process is practical and paced to the person's goals and energy.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs. Video allows face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text are useful for quick updates, in-between support, or when typing feels more comfortable. These options make it easier to work on skills consistently while balancing daily life.