Shelley Smith

Shelley Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Georgia with 13 years of clinical experience. She focuses on practical support for stress, anxiety, grief, depression, addictions, anger, and other life challenges. Shelley emphasizes a respectful, down-to-earth approach that centers the client's experience and strengths.

She sees each person as the expert on their own story and works alongside them to find clearer ways forward. Sessions tend to focus on building coping skills, managing strong emotions, and making small changes that add up over time. Shelley aims to make the first steps feel doable and straightforward.

Her background includes a mix of approaches that can be matched to the client's needs. She uses Client-Centered Therapy to create an accepting space, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful patterns, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotional regulation when needed. Narrative and psychodynamic ideas are also part of her toolbox for understanding life themes and patterns.

Shelley has experience helping people navigate parenting stress, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, ADHD, first responder issues, and family of origin problems. She also supports work on body image, abandonment, adoption and foster care matters, and forgiveness when those issues come up.

Her style is supportive and practical. She encourages small, sustainable steps and values collaboration on goals. The process begins with a short matching questionnaire and scheduling, so people can start with a plan that fits their situation.

Approaches that guide online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting therapeutic relationship. It’s about being heard and helping people notice their own strengths so they can make choices that feel right. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors together and teaches concrete skills to reduce anxiety, manage anger, and change unhelpful patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Shelley uses these methods as starting points and tailors them to a person’s goals, needs, and preferences. She will collaborate with clients to test strategies, adjust what’s not working, and pick the tools that fit best for each situation.

Confirm the session formats Shelley currently offers before scheduling so you know how sessions will be delivered. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, help with shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It can also allow for using skills in the moment between sessions, which supports real-world practice and progress.