Phyllis Smith
Compassionate, goal-focused therapy for life challenges
LMFT North Carolina
- Experience
- 5 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Phyllis
Phyllis Smith is an LMFT who brings five years of clinical experience to her practice in North Carolina. She centers her work on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside client-centered and existential perspectives, helping clients explore patterns of thought and behavior while honoring their values and personal goals.
Background and approach
Her style emphasizes collaboration and uses clients' strengths to build resilience and open pathways to change. She works with individuals, couples, and families across a broad set of concerns including stress, anxiety, relationship and family challenges, parenting, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, anger, self-esteem, career concerns, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, and ADHD.
Additional areas of focus include attachment and abandonment issues, blended family dynamics, body image, caregiver stress, communication and commitment problems, and family of origin matters. Phyllis adapts therapeutic methods to each person’s circumstances, offering a systems-informed perspective that considers how relationships and contexts influence wellbeing.
Clients can expect a strengths-based, empathetic approach that identifies opportunities for growth and gently challenges unhelpful patterns. She guides goal-setting and supports implementation of new ways of thinking and relating to help clients move toward greater functioning and hope.
Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a practical, goal-oriented method that helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and replace them with more effective patterns; it is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life changes. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathetic listening and collaboration, giving clients space to explore their values and goals while the therapist supports growth and self-direction. Existential Therapy addresses meaning, choice, and personal responsibility, which can help when people face life transitions, questions of purpose, or feelings of emptiness.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Phyllis works with each person to understand their priorities and preferences, combining techniques as needed so therapy aligns with the client’s needs and goals. She explains options and adjusts the plan over time to ensure the work remains relevant and practical.
Online sessions make it possible to engage in CBT-informed and client-centered work from home or elsewhere, using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These formats offer flexibility for scheduling, allow continuity when in-person visits are difficult, and support ongoing skill practice between sessions through written check-ins and real-time conversations with a licensed professional.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Licensed
North Carolina
Languages
English