Cathy Smith, LPC

Cathy Smith is an LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor in Michigan with 18 years of clinical and teaching experience. She works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, anger, and many related concerns. Cathy speaks English and Spanish and accepts international clients.

Cathy began her career after earning undergraduate degrees in Sociology with a focus on Criminology and in Spanish. Early work in a residential treatment home for youth led her to pursue teaching and later special education. Years in classroom settings prompted a return to university for a master’s in Counseling Psychology and licensure as an LPC.

She emphasizes the relationship between counselor and client as the foundation of the work. Cathy listens for the person behind the problem - their culture, beliefs, sexual orientation, work life, and family context all matter. She also keeps attention on limits and realistic goals rather than quick fixes.

In sessions she draws from several practical methods. Cathy uses client-centered conversations to follow what matters most to the person. She adds Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness when people need new ways to manage thoughts and stress. Solution-focused and psychoeducational strategies are used when clients want concrete steps and skills.

Cathy has worked with clients across the age range and with varied concerns, including PTSD, abuse history, autism spectrum issues, parenting strain, and first responder stress. Her style leans on strengths the client already has and on collaborative problem solving. To begin she asks clients to describe what they want to change and then pairs that with approaches that fit those goals.

How Cathy’s approaches translate to online work