Kristen Smith, LMHC - Therapist in Florida

About Kristen

Kristen Smith is a licensed mental health counselor in Florida with 27 years of experience. She focuses on helping people manage anxiety, depression, stress, addiction concerns, and relationship or intimacy challenges. Her work often addresses parenting and family-related topics as part of overall life concerns.

Kristen speaks plainly and aims to make first steps feel doable for a worried parent reading on a phone. She sees each person as the expert on their life and builds on existing strengths.

Background and approach

Sessions typically begin by listening to what matters most and identifying immediate, practical steps. She uses tools to help with coping skills, mood shifts, and clearer communication. Kristen blends client-centered care with cognitive behavioral techniques to change unhelpful thought and behavior patterns.

She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy skills for emotional regulation and stress tolerance. These methods are adapted to fit each person’s goals and pace. Her approach is straightforward and supportive rather than lecturing.

Parents are helped to set realistic goals, try small changes, and track progress between visits. Kristen pays attention to issues like sleep, eating, grief, career stress, and caregiving strain as they affect daily life. Therapy sessions may include coaching-style guidance, problem solving, and skill practice.

Kristen aims to help people feel steadier, more in control, and clearer about next steps. She encourages honesty about setbacks and uses those moments to plan what comes next.

Approaches that translate well to online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening closely and helping people feel understood. This approach supports building on a persons own strengths and deciding goals together, which can feel reassuring in remote sessions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions. It teaches short exercises and practical changes to try between sessions, which work well over video, phone, chat, or text.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, offers concrete skills for managing intense emotions and improving stress tolerance. Simple skills practice and coaching around emotion regulation are easy to do in online formats.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to needs, goals, and preferences and then recommend methods to try. Adjustments are made as therapy progresses so the work stays relevant and useful.

Online therapy offers flexibility for busy parents and caregivers. Video calls and phone sessions fit into work and school schedules, while live chat and text messaging allow quick check-ins and skill reminders between meetings. These options make it easier to keep momentum and practice new skills in real time.

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.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Concrete skills for riding out strong emotion, tolerating distress, and handling relationships without things escalating. The skills are practised in daily life, so between-session support by message or phone fits naturally.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns can Kristen address?

She works with a wide range of concerns including addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, trauma and abuse, depression, anxiety, grief, parenting and family matters, sleeping and eating problems, and stress related to work and caregiving.

How would you describe her therapy style?

Her style is practical and direct, centered on the clients experience. She listens first, then offers tools and steps that can be tried between sessions.

What is her professional background?

Kristen brings 27 years of professional experience in mental health settings and has helped people with mood, relationship, and life-transition issues over that time.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She holds the LMHC credential and is licensed in Florida under FL LMHC MH7619.

Which languages and international options are available?

Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients.

What session formats does she offer?

Therapy is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.

How does costing and payment work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling sessions according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Addictions
Relationship issues
Trauma and abuse

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 27 years
Licensed: Florida
Languages: English

Next step

Talk to Kristen

Takes a few minutes
Nothing to set up just to look
Stop at any point

Book with Kristen