PuttingFamilyFirst

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CS Portrait of Cathy Smith
Online therapist

Cathy Smith

Calm, practical therapy focused on relationships

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Credentials
LPC
Experience
18 years
Licensed in
Michigan
Languages
English, Spanish
Format
Online sessions

About Cathy

Cathy Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who centers her work on relationship-based therapy. She focuses on listening first and helping people name what feels hard. Sessions are straightforward and practical, guided by what each person hopes to change.

Cathy draws on eighteen years of clinical and teaching experience. She trained in counseling psychology after many years in education and residential care. That background shapes her calm, patient style and her interest in how life stages and roles affect stress and wellbeing.

Background and approach

Her approach mixes client-centered listening with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness practices. She also uses solution-focused techniques and psychodynamic ideas when they fit. Cathy picks methods to match specific goals rather than following a single rigid model.

People bring many concerns to Cathy, including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, addiction, parenting challenges, and relationship stress. She has worked with a wide age range and with people on the autism spectrum and those with learning differences. Sessions are offered in English and Spanish, and she accepts international clients.

Cathy emphasizes building on a person’s strengths and helping them develop useful tools for daily life. The emphasis is partnership: she and the client decide what to try next based on progress and preference.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting relationship. The therapist follows the person’s lead, reflects their concerns, and helps them find their own solutions; this can be useful for stress, relationship issues, and parenting worries.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thought and behavior and teaches concrete skills to change them. It is practical and goal-oriented, and it often helps with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and coping with life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Cathy will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and comfort level. That may mean trying one approach for a while and adjusting based on what helps.

Online therapy offers flexibility for busy lives. Video calls let sessions feel more like face-to-face meetings, while phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging provide options for short check-ins or when scheduling is tight. These formats make it easier to meet consistently and use therapy tools between sessions.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Mindfulness Therapy

Attention training: noticing thoughts and physical feelings as they arrive without being carried off by them. Much of it is practice you do yourself, so guidance over video or audio works much as it would in person.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?
Cathy works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting concerns, eating and sleeping problems, anger, self-esteem, ADHD, and many related topics.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is client-centered and practical, using active listening and collaboration. She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, solution-focused techniques, and psychodynamic ideas as needed.
How long has she been practicing?
She brings eighteen years of experience that include roles in residential treatment, special education, and counseling psychology.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Michigan with licence MI LPC 6401010540.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish, and she also accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
Clients may meet via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on preference.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
18 years
Licensed
Michigan
Languages
English, Spanish

Next step

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