Lesley Smith

Compassionate, evidence-informed therapy for life transitions

LCMHC North Carolina

Experience: 25 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Lesley

Lesley Smith is an LCMHC with 25 years of clinical experience who centers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside client-centered practices to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, and life transitions.

Background and approach

She draws on evidence-informed methods to help clients identify unhelpful thinking patterns, build coping skills, and pursue meaningful changes in daily life. Her work also addresses issues such as body image, self-esteem, career challenges, and compassion fatigue.

Her practice emphasizes collaboration and respect for each person’s expertise about their own life, using emotionally-focused and attachment-aware techniques when relationships and connection are central to the concern. Lesley supports clients coping with grief, trauma and abuse, bipolar mood challenges, and interpersonal difficulties including communication and commitment problems.

She offers practical, goal-oriented strategies alongside exploration of values and attachment dynamics to help people move toward greater well-being. Lesley practices in North Carolina and provides services in English.

She frames therapy as a process of exploration and skill-building, helping clients set realistic goals and develop tools for coping with life’s stresses and transitions.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Lesley uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering practical strategies for anxiety, depression, and stress management. She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to explore values and committed action, helping people clarify what matters and take steps toward those priorities even when emotions are difficult. When relationship patterns are central, attachment-based ideas guide work on connection and communication to improve relational security and understanding.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. Lesley will work with each client to determine which methods fit their goals, preferences, and life context, adjusting techniques over time as needs evolve. The process emphasizes shared decision making so that clients feel involved in shaping the work.

Online therapy with Lesley is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for varying schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it possible to engage in CBT and ACT-informed work, process attachment dynamics, and practice skills between sessions from wherever the client is located in North Carolina.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Lesley commonly address?

She works with a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, grief, trauma and abuse, and issues around self-esteem and body image.

What kind of therapeutic approach can I expect?

Lesley integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with client-centered principles and emotionally focused and attachment-aware techniques to combine skills training with relational exploration.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She brings 25 years of professional experience working with individuals and couples on mood, relationship, and life transition challenges.

Where is Lesley licensed and located?

Lesley holds the credential LCMHC and practices in North Carolina; her credential is listed as NC LCMHC 20979.

Are sessions available in other languages or for international clients?

Sessions are offered in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.

What session formats does she offer?

She provides a range of online formats including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.

How are sessions priced?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are billed through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a brief matching questionnaire, and schedule an appointment based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesSelf esteem DepressionCoaching

Also works with

LGBTFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse GriefAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changes Compassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

Attachment issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCommitment issuesCommunication problemsDependent personalityDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shame Isolation / lonelinessLife purposeMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsPostpartum depressionPregnancy and childbirthSelf-loveWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodImago Relationship TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

25+ years

Licensed

North Carolina

Languages

English