Laura Smith

Twenty-five years in this field — across inpatient units, outpatient programs, and private practice — means I've sat with people in virtually every kind of difficulty. That depth of experience shapes how I show up: grounded, unhurried, and genuinely confident that change is possible, even when it doesn't feel that way yet.

I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, ADD/ADHD, stress, and major life transitions. I bring both clinical rigor and real human warmth to the work — because neither alone is enough.

I trained at Hunter College School of Social Work and have built my practice around one belief: that insight without practical tools doesn't get people very far, and tools without insight don't stick. We'll work on both.

My approach draws from multiple frameworks — CBT, Psychodynamic therapy, Family Systems, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness-based interventions — not because I use them all at once, but because different people need different things, and 25 years has taught me to read which approach fits which moment.

In practice, this means sessions are collaborative and active. We'll look at the patterns shaping your current challenges — how you think, how you relate, what you avoid — and work to shift the ones keeping you stuck. I'm warm but direct, and I'll challenge you when it serves you.

The goal isn't endless processing. It's real, lasting change.

We begin with a brief intro call — a chance to connect, ask questions, and make sure this feels like the right fit before we commit to working together.

In the first full session, I'll ask what's brought you here, what you've already tried, and what you're hoping feels different. We'll start mapping out goals that are specific to your life — not a generic treatment template.

Most people leave the first session with a clearer sense of what's been driving things and what working together will look like. That clarity alone can feel like relief.