PuttingFamilyFirst

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OW Portrait of Olga Watts-Smith
Online therapist

Olga Watts-Smith

Practical evidence-based help for family stress

Credentials
LCPC
Experience
20 years
Licensed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Olga

Olga Watts-Smith is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with two decades of experience. She focuses on practical, evidence-based care for people facing stress, anxiety, mood problems, relationship strain, and parenting challenges. Her style is straightforward and collaborative, aimed at helping clients make steady changes that fit their daily lives.

She has worked with adults, adolescents, and families across a range of mood and anxiety concerns. That experience includes supporting people with bipolar disorder, depression, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), and social anxiety.

Background and approach

Olga also addresses family problems, attachment and abandonment issues, caregiver stress, impulsivity, and infidelity when those concerns arise. In sessions she concentrates on building a trusting, steady relationship. That relationship is used to look at patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

She keeps sessions structured and supportive so clients can try out different ways of coping and relating without feeling judged. Treatment is tailored to each person’s needs and strengths. Olga helps clients set clear goals and works with them to practice new skills between sessions.

Her aim is to improve emotional regulation, increase self-understanding, and support durable change. She practices in Illinois and offers services in English. Olga draws on evidence-based techniques to guide her work while keeping things practical and understandable for busy parents and families.

Evidence-based approaches for online family and parenting care

Olga uses straightforward, evidence-based techniques that focus on practical change. One approach emphasizes skills for managing emotions and improving mood; it teaches concrete strategies for coping with stress, regulating intense feelings, and reducing symptoms of depression or bipolar mood swings. Another approach targets interpersonal patterns and relationships by helping people notice how they connect with others, practice new ways of communicating, and repair conflicts that affect family life and parenting.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. She collaborates with each person to identify goals, try methods that fit their preferences, and adjust as needed. This means the therapist and client decide together which techniques best match the issues and daily realities a family faces.

Online therapy offers flexibility for busy parents and families. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation from home, phone sessions reduce travel time, and live chat or text messaging can be used for brief check-ins and between-session support. These options make it easier to keep continuity of care and practice new skills in real life settings.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, parenting challenges, bipolar disorder, and depression, plus related issues like abandonment, attachment, caregiver stress, and family problems.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her approach is collaborative and structured, focusing on building a trusting relationship and using practical, evidence-based techniques to change thoughts and behaviors.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 20 years of professional experience working with adults, adolescents, and families on mood, anxiety, and interpersonal concerns.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an LCPC - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor - licensed in Illinois with license number IL LCPC 180006109.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with therapy?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Experience
20 years
Licensed
Illinois
Languages
English

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