Lori Smith, LPC

Lori Smith is a licensed professional counselor who helps people manage anxiety, relationship struggles, parenting challenges, and major life changes. She works with adults seeking practical ways to reduce stress and build steadier routines. Her approach aims to make day-to-day life feel more manageable and less overwhelming.

Lori draws on 27 years of experience and uses clear, hands-on methods in sessions. She often focuses on changing unhelpful thinking patterns and building specific skills people can use between appointments. Sessions mix conversation, skill practice, and simple homework to keep progress moving.

She describes wellbeing as a hammock supported by four poles: body, mind, emotions, and spirit. In work with clients she addresses each pole with concrete techniques such as breathing and sleep strategies, thought work, emotional expression, and opportunities for spiritual growth when relevant.

Practical tools are central to her style. Lori may suggest breathing exercises to calm the nervous system, thought records to challenge stressful beliefs, and communication practices to improve relationships. She also helps people consider career choices and cope with grief or compassion fatigue.

Lori provides services from Virginia and conducts sessions in English. She offers a mix of video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging depending on what best fits a client’s life and goals.

CBT and practical online support

CBT is a hands-on approach that helps people spot unhelpful thoughts and replace them with clearer, more useful thinking. It often includes simple exercises and brief homework to change how situations are interpreted and how people respond to stress.

Lori also emphasizes body-centered strategies such as breathing techniques, sleep and movement suggestions, and routines that lower physical stress. These methods help reduce tension and improve focus when life feels scattered.

Choosing the right approach happens together. The therapist will review concerns, goals, and preferences to decide whether CBT, body-focused work, or a mix of both fits best. That collaborative process lets people try practical methods and adjust them over time.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video is useful for deeper conversational work and skill demonstrations. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat or text messaging can support shorter check-ins or ongoing coaching-style contact between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and keep progress steady.