With over 28 years of experience as a psychotherapist, I have focused my practice around helping individuals and families recover from pain and trauma. In my work with eating disorders, I work collaboratively with nutritionists, psychiatrists and physicians to insure seamless care and serve as the "team captain", who will keep the treatment team informed and cohesive. I also work with individuals and their families around issues related to health, relationship issues, depression or anxiety.
In the past 10 years, I have broadened my knowledge to include more mindfulness based treatments, such as hypnosis and trauma informed care. I have a background in neuroscience, so I am always integrating the latest science into our work together.
In 2023, I founded The Smith Counseling Group, which is a collective of professionals who are dedicated to providing evidence-based mental health care to individuals and their families. With decades of experience in the field, our approach is warm, direct, and based in science, with a focus on results that should be evident within the first few weeks of treatment.
Education:
BA with highest honors in Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
MS in Rehabilitation Counseling, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
PhD in Counseling, George Washington University
Licensure and Certification:
Licensed in MD: LCPC #1960
Licensed in MD: Approved Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Supervisor #3251
National Board Certified Counselor
Nationally Certified as an Approved Clinical Supervisor
Certificate in Advanced Trauma Treatment
Additional training:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E)
Maudsley approach or Family Based Treatment (FBT) for Eating Disorders
Therapeutic Hypnosis for Trauma
Supervision of new counselors
Professional Activities and Memberships
Adjunct faculty for Johns Hopkins University and the George Washington University
Present at National and local conferences on the topic of eating disorders and obesity
Published in scholarly journals
Published chapters and articles on the topic of eating disorders in adolescents and adults
Available for public speaking and workshops.