I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with more than five years experience in providing therapy for individuals, couples, and families. My experience include working with a diverse population in regard to age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other diversity factors.
I believe people have the ability to become their best self mentally, emotionally, and physically. My approach to counseling, therefore, involves genuine interest in your hopes, dreams, goals, and aspirations in order to reach your greatest level of wellness and potential. I take a collaborative approach in identifying your specific goals for counseling and guide you toward them. I am a strengths-based therapist who utilizes the positive aspects of your life to build resiliency, restores hope, and open the door for new perspectives. I identify opportunities for growth and will challenge you in a nurturing and empathetic manner as you acquire and implement new patterns of thinking and behavior.
My primary counseling modalities include Bowenian (personal growth and development), experiential, structural and strategic, with a systems approach, or the idea that a person is best understood by the contexts in with they live and relate with other people. However, due to the unique needs and circumstances of every individual, I will use different methods of therapy based on those needs.
Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, ADHD, Abandonment, Attachment issues, Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Blended family issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Co-morbidity, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with natural or human-caused disaster, Divorce and separation, Emptiness, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Fatherhood issues, First responder issues, Forgiveness, Gender dysphoria, Guilt and shame, Hospice and end-of-life counseling, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Veteran and Armed Forces Issues, Mood disorders, Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Phobias, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and discrimination, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Self-love, Women's issues, Workplace issues
Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Existential Therapy, Gottman Method, Mindfulness Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy
NC LMFT 1905
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Phyllis Smith. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Christine (Phyllis) patiently offered practical advice and affirmations. She listened intently and made conversations relatable and offered useful tools for coping and progress.
Written on Nov 17, 2024 after therapy with Phyllis for 2 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, family conflicts, and intimacy-related issues
Phyllis understands my struggle and has helped me immensely this year. I don’t think I could have gotten through the issues I had without her.
Written on Oct 09, 2024 after therapy with Phyllis for 10 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety
Phyllis smith had been great in helping me work through some life long and more recent challenges
Written on Sep 15, 2024 after therapy with Phyllis for 4 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, family conflicts, anger management, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adhd
Phyllis is very professional and supportive. She really understands me and helps work through my issues. I would highly recommend her
Written on Jul 15, 2024 after therapy with Phyllis for 8 months on issues concerning relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, and coping with life changes
She’s very understanding and it feels like I’m talking with someone who understands what I’m going through.
Written on Jan 18, 2024 after therapy with Phyllis for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, and adhd
Kind, empathetic and non judgmental. I'm grateful she was selected for me.
Written on Nov 18, 2023 after therapy with Phyllis for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, grief, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, and coping with life changes