PuttingFamilyFirst

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RS Portrait of Ryan Smith
Online therapist

Ryan Smith

Calm, practical support for family and life shifts

Credentials
LMFT
Experience
6 years
Licensed in
California
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Ryan

Ryan Smith is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with six years of clinical experience in California. She focuses on practical ways to reduce stress and anxiety and address depression. She listens closely and helps people name their strengths so they can move past what holds them back.

Her work centers on everyday steps that make life more manageable. She guides clients through relationship and family concerns with clear, direct strategies.

Background and approach

She also supports people dealing with trauma, abuse, and LGBTQ-related stress in ways that respect each person's story. Ryan emphasizes collaboration in sessions. She treats clients as the experts on their lives and offers tools to try between meetings.

Progress is built one step at a time, and she meets each client where they are. She has particular experience with issues like abandonment and attachment, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, and communication problems. Other focus areas include control issues, divorce and separation, guilt and shame, and feelings of isolation.

Sessions are offered in English and delivered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Ryan uses those formats to help people fit therapy into busy lives and to keep support accessible when it matters most.

Evidence-based approaches adapted for online care

Ryan uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on real-life skills and understanding patterns. One approach helps people identify unhelpful thinking and replace it with more balanced thoughts so anxiety and low mood become easier to manage. Another approach focuses on attachment and relationships, helping clients notice interaction patterns and practice new ways to connect and communicate.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Ryan collaborates with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. She adjusts techniques as progress is made and encourages feedback so therapy stays useful and relevant.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. These options allow people to fit sessions into busy days, continue work from home, or check in between appointments. The variety of formats helps maintain continuity and access when life gets in the way of in-person visits.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Ryan address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, and LGBT-related concerns. Additional focuses include attachment and abandonment, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and communication problems.
What is her general therapy style?
Ryan takes a collaborative, strengths-based approach and uses practical steps clients can use between sessions. She treats people as the experts on their own lives and helps them develop tools that fit their situation.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has six years of professional work experience as a licensed therapist in California.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the California license CA LMFT 147588 and practices in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does cost and scheduling work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

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