I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and ten year Air Force Veteran who served during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. I am also a military spouse. I live in San Antonio, TX. My professional experience includes 10 years of mental health technician work and 7 years of professional Social Work. As an “Army brat”, and with my history in the military, I went through countless transitions that challenged my own mental health and led me to a path of post traumatic resilience. Those life experiences inform my work, where I aim to infuse hope into the encounters I have with my clients. My life experiences have brought with them unique opportunities to appreciate a number of cultures and challenges and I am highly ambitious to serve people in a very individualized and strengths/solution-focused way. I believe it is vital to implement culturally aware and client-centered interventions while remaining up-to-date with relevant training in the field. I look forward to building strong relationships with my clients as they work on making their lives align with their values. Exploring ourselves is a journey that is so worth taking. Congrats on taking the first step to care for yourself and explore your needs.
I am licensed in both Texas and North Carolina and I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, trauma, anxiety, career and life change/transition challenges, and problems with drugs of addiction. I have also helped many people who have experienced physical trauma, emotional abuse and combat traumas.
My counseling style is warm and interactive. I believe in treating people/my clients with the respect, sensitivity, and compassion that I would want for my own family members and myself. Everyone deserves this. And while I don't believe in stigmatizing labels, I do believe in being direct in a way that benefits someone who is seeking to have an objective person help them recognize patterns of behavior and thinking that are not serving them, so they may be challenged in a way that leads them them to live their best lives and meet their goals. My approach combines cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic and rational-emotive counseling techniques. I will tailor our dialogue and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Empathy is a strength of mine and I believe it is integral to my work with my clients/you.
If you are ready to take steps towards healing and/or exploring a values-driven life, I am here to support and empower you to find the skills and to hone in on the ones you already possess.
I look forward to working with you!
Additional areas of focus: Grief, Sleeping disorders, Anger management, Self esteem, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Coaching, Adoption and Foster Care, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Communication problems, Control issues, Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Eating and Food-Related Issues, Family of Origin Issues, Fertility Issues, First Responder Issues, Guilt and shame, Impulsivity, Life purpose, Military and Veterans Issues, Mood disorders , Panic disorder and panic attacks, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Self-Harm, Self-love, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Smoking/Vaping Cessation, Social anxiety and phobia, Traumatic Brain Injury, Women's issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
NC LCSW C013363
TX LCSW 66113
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Leah Smith. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Leah is the best. She is so insightful and understanding and I feel better working with her!
Written on Nov 23, 2022 after therapy with Leah for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, and grief