Dr. Sandra Smith, LCSW

Dr. Sandra Smith is a licensed therapist with a career spanning 24 years, bringing a blend of clinical practice, coaching, and college-level teaching to her work. She holds the LCSW credential - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - and has applied her skills across a wide range of settings, including family and trauma-centered agencies, hospitals (working with crisis teams, emergency departments, maternity, labor and delivery, and NICU), and correctional facilities where she served as a primary clinician for inmates with moderate to severe mental health concerns.

Her approach is holistic, considering the many forces that shape a person or a relationship such as personal history, physical health, social supports, spiritual life, finances, and emotional and cognitive patterns. Relationships are a central focus of her practice; she has led relationship research efforts and been mentored by experts in marriage and couples enrichment, and she emphasizes communication and mutual understanding as foundations for healthier partnerships. Dr. Smith also supports people dealing with trauma and abuse and partners who are navigating the impact of another person’s trauma history.

Dr. Smith offers trauma-informed interventions and draws from a variety of clinical approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and client-centered methods. Her work addresses a broad range of concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, addiction, grief, parenting challenges, sleep and eating difficulties, ADHD, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, career issues, and life transitions. She also brings focused experience with blended family matters, codependency, first responder issues, forgiveness work, and aging or geriatric concerns.

Known for a warm and interactive counseling style, Dr. Smith emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion while avoiding judgment and labels. She seeks to understand each person’s unique situation and involves clients in directing their treatment so that therapy aligns with individual needs and goals. Over the course of her career she has guided many individuals, couples, and families through meaningful change and growth.