Kiera Smith

I am an LPC who specializes in working with teens and young adults navigating anxiety, OCD, trauma, perfectionism, burnout, and overthinking. I have a particular passion for supporting young women and LGBTQ+ individuals who are ready to better understand themselves, build courage, embrace uncertainty, and create lives that feel grounded, meaningful, and authentically their own.

My training and research background focuses primarily on anxiety disorders. I've done research on exposure therapy for anxiety disorders and focus most of my continuing education on treating anxiety, OCD, and overthinking!

My approach is grounded primarily in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) while also drawing from feminist and trauma-informed perspectives. At the heart of my work is helping you develop greater psychological flexibility—the ability to make room for difficult thoughts, emotions, and experiences while choosing actions that align with the life you want to build, even when things feel hard. Rather than trying to eliminate anxiety, silence intrusive thoughts, or force yourself to "think positively," we'll work together to understand the patterns that have kept you stuck, build practical skills, and experiment with new ways of responding that move you toward the life you want, rather than staying stuck in survival mode. I've completed specialized training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the most well-researched treatment for OCD and one of the most effective treatments for many anxiety disorders.

In our sessions, I'll likely have two or three drinks on my desk (including my emotional support water bottle), a basket full of fidgets within reach, and a deck of Little Frog's Guide to Self-Care Cards ready to end our session. Our first session, called the intake, is where we will discuss what brings you into therapy, help me understand where you are struggling, and collaborate on a game plan to help you achieve your therapy goals!