Wendy Smith, MA, LMHC

  • 12 years of Experience
  • United States
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Visit Website

Specialties: Grief, Marital / Premarital, Trauma / PTSD

Specialties

Grief, Marital / Premarital, Trauma / PTSD

Languages

English

Age Group Focus

Adults, Seniors

Treatment Approaches

Attachment-based, Body Centered Psychotherapy, Emotionally Focused, Existential Psychotherapy, Family / Marital, Focusing, Gestalt, Humanistic, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Meditation/Relaxation, Mindfulness Based Approaches, Multicultural, Psycho-Educational, Relational, Systemic

Issues

Anxiety, Coping With Medical Issues, Depression, End of Life Issues, Grief, Marital / Premarital, Multicultural Issues, Physical Illness/Impairment, Relationship Issues, Self Esteem, Sexual Abuse, Trauma / PTSD

State License

Washington

About Wendy Smith

I have discovered that I work somewhat differently with different people; this is probably because each client is different and has different problems, strengths, needs and goals, and because, in each case, a unique relationship develops between me and the client. In all cases, I place the utmost importance on deeply understanding the client’s experience and on meeting that person with empathy and respect. I believe that people contain the seeds of their own authenticity and development, and that it is the therapist’s job to help the client remove what blocks his or her natural growth. When working with individuals, I use Emotion-Focused Therapy, existential therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, attached-based therapy, body-centered therapy, and a version of Internal Family Systems Therapy pioneered by trauma-treatment expert Dr. Janina Fisher. I also pay a lot of attention to people’s histories in order to understand how their past development and experiences might be affecting their current capacity to live well in the present and imagine a future. I can help individuals with a variety of issues, including grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, identity issues, life transitions, and relationship problems.  I have special expertise in working with people coming to terms with physial and sensory disabilities and chronic and life-threatening illnesses. As a Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist, I use Emotionally Focused Therapy to help partners deeply reconnect on the level of needs and feelings (as opposed to having that same unproductive argument over and over again). Once couples have learned to communicate in a way that is likely to get their needs met and have had help in healing breaches of trust, they generally find they can solve other problems without therapeutic help.

Contact Wendy Smith