- Years in practice
- 23
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- New Jersey
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Grief
- Focus
- Depression
About Jennifer
Jennifer Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 23 years of hands-on experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, and major life changes. She works plainly and directly, listening first and then offering clear tools parents and individuals can use right away. Her style is warm and nonjudgmental, aimed at building confidence and practical skills.
She trained in psychology at Ithaca College and earned a Master of Social Work from Adelphi University.
Background and approach
Early work included psychiatric hospital care, psychological testing, group therapy, and intake services. She also worked in New York City’s Early Intervention Program and spent years in community mental health settings in New York and New Jersey.
For the past part of her career she has served as Clinical Director at a small therapeutic school for grades 6 through 12 in central New Jersey. That role deepened her experience with school-related anxiety, disruptive mood concerns, self-injury, and behavior issues that often show up for adolescents and their caregivers.
Jennifer uses a mix of proven approaches rather than a single method. She tailors sessions with elements from cognitive behavioral techniques, acceptance and commitment ideas, attachment-based work, and skills from dialectical behavior therapy when helpful. Sessions focus on what a client needs in the moment and practical steps they can try between meetings.
She offers phone and video sessions as well as live chat and text-based messaging. Communications are usually answered in the afternoons through about 7pm on weekdays, and she is not available on weekends.
What Jennifer works with
Everything Jennifer lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Jennifer helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Jennifer lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on identifying personal values and taking steps that match those values, while teaching simple acceptance and mindfulness skills to manage difficult thoughts and feelings. It can help with anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early connection patterns affect current relationships and helps people develop more supported ways of relating and responding to others. It can be useful for parenting concerns, attachment issues, and relationship stress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns; it is often helpful for anxiety, depression, and mood regulation.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose and adjust methods based on goals, needs, and preferences. Sessions may draw from more than one approach so clients get what helps them most at a given time.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face interaction for deeper conversation, phone calls can fit into a busy day or use less data, and chat or text can support brief check-ins or tools between sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around school, work, and caregiving duties.
Questions people ask about Jennifer
What concerns does she help with?
She helps with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, parenting concerns, trauma and abuse, anger, self-esteem, bipolar issues, and related mood concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is flexible and direct, combining listening with practical tools from CBT, ACT, attachment work, and DBT as appropriate.
What is her background in mental health?
She has 23 years of experience, including psychiatric hospital work, early intervention services, community mental health, and clinical leadership in a therapeutic school.
What credentials and region are listed?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in New Jersey and practices in New Jersey.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be held by video call, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule based on the therapist's availability.
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