- Years in practice
- 5
- Credentials
- LMFT
- Licensed in
- North Carolina
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Family conflicts
About Phyllis
Phyllis Smith is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who focuses on practical, hopeful work for parents and individuals facing relationship and life stresses. She centers sessions on what matters most to each person and helps people set clear goals for change. Conversations are straightforward and aimed at building skills that fit daily life.
She brings five years of clinical experience and uses a mix of approaches to match each person’s needs.
Background and approach
That can include client-centered listening, cognitive-behavioral tools for shifting unhelpful thoughts and habits, mindfulness practices to manage stress, and relationship work informed by the Gottman Method. Phyllis emphasizes strengths and small, steady steps toward better functioning. Sessions usually start by identifying immediate concerns and practical goals.
She then helps people try new ways of thinking and acting and notices what works. Progress is tracked in simple, concrete ways so changes are visible and useful. Phyllis also addresses family and parenting issues, communication problems, and life transitions such as divorce or grief.
She works with people dealing with anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, ADHD, and identity-related stress. Her background includes helping with attachment and blended family concerns. Clients can expect an open, collaborative style that balances challenge with empathy.
The focus is on restoring hope, improving daily coping, and strengthening relationships one step at a time.
What Phyllis works with
Everything Phyllis lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Phyllis helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
- Depression
- 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
Approaches Phyllis lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Gottman Method
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Solution-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.
Practical approaches for online parenting and relationship work
Phyllis uses client-centered work to prioritize each person’s voice and goals. This approach means conversations start with listening and understanding, then move toward building on strengths and preferences, which helps when parenting stress or family conflict feels overwhelming.She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits and replace them with more useful actions. CBT offers clear tools for managing anxiety, low mood, and patterns that affect relationships. Mindfulness practices are used alongside these methods to teach simple breathing and attention skills that reduce reactivity and help people stay calm during tense family moments.
Finding the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods, and adjust based on what helps most. Clients are invited to give feedback so sessions reflect their needs and values rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.
Online work is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video is useful for deeper conversations and relationship work, phone calls can fit a short break at work, live chat supports quicker check-ins, and messaging is helpful for ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy family routines and varied schedules.
Questions people ask about Phyllis
What issues does Phyllis commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, parenting issues, depression, addictions, trauma, grief, anger, self-esteem, career questions, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and related areas.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She uses a collaborative, strengths-based approach that blends client-centered listening with practical techniques like cognitive behavioral work and mindfulness.
How much experience does she have?
She has five years of clinical experience providing therapy for individuals, couples, and families.
Where is Phyllis licensed and based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensed in North Carolina and practices from that state.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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