Vanessa Smith

Vanessa Smith LPC, LCSW is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Louisiana with six years of experience. She works with people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, low self-esteem, depression, relationships, family concerns, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue. She also lists drug and alcohol addiction and life purpose as additional focus areas. Sessions are conducted in English and she does not take international clients. Vanessa describes a person-centered approach. She treats each person as the expert on their own life and focuses on practical steps people can try between sessions. Conversations tend to be interactive, with room to talk through feelings, patterns, and choices. She uses techniques that help people notice unhelpful thinking, manage intense emotions, and find small, realistic changes that feel doable. Her work draws on several evidence-based methods such as cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior elements, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused strategies. That means sessions can include skill practice, brief experiments, and goal-oriented planning when helpful. She aims to help clients manage immediate distress and build skills for ongoing challenges. Vanessa has experience across a range of life situations, including job loss and bereavement, and has worked with returning citizens in previous roles. She frames progress as gradual and practical rather than sudden, and focuses on what can be tried next in daily life. To begin, prospective clients follow the site flow to view online therapy options, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session. Fees vary with location and are billed through a cancellable subscription model.

How her approaches translate to online sessions

Vanessa uses client-centered work and cognitive behavioral therapy as primary ways to structure sessions. Client-centered work means conversations focus on the client’s experience and priorities, with the therapist listening and reflecting to help clarify what matters most. Cognitive behavioral techniques involve noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavioral experiments to change how someone feels over time.

She also integrates elements of dialectical behavior therapy when emotion regulation and distress tolerance are needed. DBT-style tools include short skills practice, grounding strategies, and step-by-step plans for managing intense emotions. These approaches suit problems like anxiety, depression, addiction challenges, and coping with major life changes because they combine practical skills with a supportive conversation style.

Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work. Vanessa collaborates with each person to decide which techniques to try first based on their goals and situation. That collaborative process can include reviewing what has helped before, trying a brief skill in session, and adjusting the plan as needed.

The original biography did not specify which online session formats she offers, so confirm current options before booking. Practically, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Discuss format preferences and scheduling when you book so sessions can fit into day-to-day life.