Dr. Karyn Smith
Compassionate CBT-informed psychologist
MN Psychologist 6271 Minnesota
- Experience
- 25 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Languages
- English
About Karyn
Dr. Karyn Smith brings a cognitive-behavioral orientation to her clinical work, blending evidence-informed strategies with a warm, person-centered manner developed over 25 years of practice.
Background and approach
As a Minnesota-licensed psychologist (MN Psychologist 6271), she draws on CBT alongside acceptance-based and client-centered methods to help people address anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship struggles, substance use concerns, and a wide range of other life challenges. Her style emphasizes collaboration and individualized care, adapting interventions such as mindfulness, dialectical skills, and narrative approaches to fit each person’s needs.
Dr. Smith has supported clients coping with grief, eating and sleeping problems, parenting stress, ADHD, bipolar concerns, intimacy and sexual identity questions, and career or life-transition difficulties.
She also works with issues related to aging, attachment and family-of-origin patterns, domestic violence, addiction, and caregiver strain. Dr.
Smith frames therapy as a supportive partnership aimed at practical symptom relief and clearer personal goals. People seeking assistance in Minnesota can expect sessions that combine respect, sensitivity, and skills-based tools to promote more effective coping and meaningful change.
Online approaches grounded in CBT and acceptance-based care
Dr. Smith frequently uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thinking patterns and build practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, and stress. CBT emphasizes concrete exercises and behavioral experiments that can translate well to remote sessions.She also incorporates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on clarifying personal values and learning to respond to difficult thoughts and feelings with greater flexibility. ACT pairs well with mindfulness practices and can support work on trauma, grief, and life transitions.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Dr. Smith tailors techniques to each person’s goals and preferences, and she works with clients to decide whether CBT, ACT, client-centered work, DBT skills, or a blend best fits their situation. Conversations in early sessions help shape the plan together.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, providing practical flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These options allow ongoing skill practice, check-ins between sessions, and continuity of care when in-person meetings are not feasible, while keeping the focus on therapeutic goals and real-world progress.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Licensed
Minnesota
Languages
English