- CBT strategies
- Client-centered work
- DBT skills
About Kelly
Kelly Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 30 years of experience in psychotherapy and clinical supervision. She practices in Virginia and focuses on common concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship strain, addictions, and blended family issues. Kelly also addresses parenting challenges, grief, intimacy-related matters, ADHD, and issues around self-esteem and anger.
Her approach blends client-centered listening with cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic methods. Sessions are practical and conversational. She aims to help people name patterns, try different ways of responding, and build skills for dealing with upsetting moments.
Over three decades of work have included a wide variety of situations and populations. That background informs case formulation and the options she offers in session. Kelly uses elements from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mindfulness to help manage strong emotions and increase moment-to-moment awareness.
She draws on motivational interviewing when people want to change habits or address addictions. The work is collaborative: goals, strategies, and pacing are decided together. Kelly emphasizes respectful dialogue and attention to life context when planning next steps.
People seeking help with the practical realities of blending households will find a therapist who listens to loyalty concerns, role confusion, and communication breakdowns. Kelly supports individual clients who want clearer routines, steadier boundaries, and better ways to talk about parenting and stepfamily roles.
How therapeutic methods translate to online sessions
Client-centered therapy focuses on active listening and reflecting what a person says to help them clarify goals and feelings. It is useful for people who want someone to respond to their experience and help organize next steps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks down problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and tests small experiments to change unhelpful patterns. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and for developing concrete coping skills.Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) supplies specific skills for managing intense emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness. Mindfulness techniques are often paired with DBT to increase present-moment awareness. Kelly will talk with each person about which methods fit their needs and goals, and then they decide together what to try. Finding the right mix is part of the work, and adjustments are made as issues and priorities become clearer.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into busy routines - for example, shorter check-ins during a work break, meetings without travel time, or sessions that avoid needing to be on camera when bandwidth is limited. Therapists offering online work often adapt exercises and worksheets for screen use so that practical skill-building continues between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Listed in
New York, California, Virginia, Washington
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address that relate to blended households?
She lists blended family issues among areas of focus and helps individuals with role confusion, loyalty conflicts, and merging routines.
What is her therapeutic style?
She uses a client-centered style combined with cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic methods and includes DBT and mindfulness techniques for emotion regulation.
How much experience does she have?
She has 30 years of experience working as a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor.
What credential and region does she practice under?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with licensure noted as NY LCSW and VA LCSW and practices in Virginia.
Can people meet with her in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are session costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.