Maria Smartt, LMSW, LISW - Therapist in Michigan

About Maria

Maria Smartt is a licensed social worker with 11 years of experience. She holds a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) credential and practices from Michigan. Maria focuses on practical help for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction concerns.

She also addresses issues around parenting, relationships, self-esteem, anger, trauma and abuse, and matters related to adoption, foster care, and Veterans and Armed Forces issues.

Background and approach

Maria keeps sessions straightforward and respectful. She listens first and adapts conversation to what matters most to each person. She works to build realistic goals together and uses clear tools people can try between meetings.

The tone is direct but warm, aimed at reducing worry and building confidence. Her background includes a decade-plus of social work practice across settings that involved counseling and casework. That experience informs how she balances practical problem-solving with emotional support.

Maria blends talk and skill-building so people leave with both understanding and steps they can use at home. In therapy she commonly draws on client-centered methods and cognitive behavioral techniques, along with motivational interviewing to help people find momentum for change. These approaches are used to address daily stress, mood struggles, parenting challenges, and recovery from difficult experiences.

To begin, a short matching questionnaire and scheduling step are used to connect with Maria. Sessions are offered through multiple online formats to fit different needs and routines.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and honoring each person's viewpoint. The therapist follows the client's lead, helps clarify what matters most, and supports personal insight and confidence. This approach is useful when someone needs a respectful space to be heard and to build self-understanding.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It helps people notice unhelpful thinking patterns and try practical experiments to change mood or behavior. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and managing everyday parenting or relationship challenges.

Motivational Interviewing is a brief, collaborative way to encourage change. It helps people find their own reasons and strengths for taking steps forward, which can support work on motivation, addiction recovery, or making parenting adjustments.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has worked in the past. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan over time based on progress and feedback.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet care needs. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation from home, phone sessions fit busy schedules, and live chat or text-based messaging can support shorter check-ins or real-time coaching. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while balancing family and other commitments.

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.

Motivational Interviewing

A way of working through mixed feelings about change without being pushed. The therapist helps you weigh things up and find your own reasons, which often makes a difficult decision feel less stuck.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Maria commonly address?

She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, self-esteem and anger. She also addresses trauma and abuse, parenting and relationship challenges, LGBT issues, family matters, adoption and foster care, and Veterans and Armed Forces issues.

What is her general therapeutic style?

Sessions are straightforward and respectful with an emphasis on listening first. Maria focuses on setting realistic goals and teaching practical skills people can use between meetings.

How much clinical experience does she have?

Maria has 11 years of professional social work experience. That background includes counseling and casework that inform her practical approach.

What credentials and location apply to this therapist?

She holds LMSW and LISW credentials. The license details are MI LMSW 6801110452 and OH LISW I.1801287, and she practices from Michigan.

Which languages are available for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats does she offer?

Therapy is available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different schedules and preferences.

How is pricing handled for sessions?

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

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. Then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 11 years
Licensed: Ohio, Michigan
Languages: English

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