Donna Smith, LMHC

Donna Smith is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) based in New York with 35 years of experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship struggles, addiction concerns, and age-related life changes. Donna also supports those coping with trauma, parenting challenges, ADHD, LGBT issues, and other personal struggles.

Donna aims for a warm, straightforward tone in sessions. She positions herself as a guide who listens and partners with each person to clarify goals. Clients can expect practical conversation, reflective questions, and tools they can try between meetings.

Her approach draws on acceptance and commitment ideas, client-centered listening, cognitive-behavioral strategies, dialectical skills, and emotionally focused work. She blends these methods to match what each person needs rather than following a single script.

Donna trained at the University of Rochester and has a long history in varied mental health settings. Her background includes individual work across many life stages and challenges, and she brings experience in helping people navigate major life transitions and ongoing emotional concerns.

Outside of therapy, she is a creative writer who values personal stories and narrative. That interest informs her work with people who want to make sense of their past and shape a more hopeful future. To begin, readers are invited to complete the site questionnaire and schedule a session.

Approaches to Online Work and How They Help

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on identifying values and taking small steps toward them while making room for difficult feelings. It can help people who feel stuck by clarifying what matters and building committed action.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes attentive listening and a nonjudgmental relationship. This approach aims to help people feel heard and understood so they can explore changes at their own pace.

Finding the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and suggest methods that fit those aims. Over a few sessions, the plan can be adjusted based on what feels most helpful.

If you are considering online therapy, please confirm the specific session options before booking. Practical benefits often include fitting appointments into a busy life, reducing travel time, and choosing formats that match daily schedules. Some approaches lend themselves to structured skill practice and brief check-ins, while others focus on deeper conversation and emotion work. The therapist will help match session style and pacing to each person's needs.