Dr. Michael Smith

Many of the people I work with are seen as strong, capable, and dependable, yet privately struggle with anxiety, trauma, grief, relationship challenges, burnout, or major life transitions. They often come to therapy wanting to better understand themselves, heal from painful experiences, and create lasting, meaningful change.

I provide therapy exclusively through telehealth, serving adults throughout Indiana from the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

I believe therapy is about more than solving problems. It is a place to explore the experiences that have shaped you, recognize patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and reconnect with your values, relationships, and sense of purpose. Together, we'll work toward greater self-awareness, resilience, and a life that feels more authentic and meaningful. When appropriate, I integrate EMDR to help process trauma and other distressing experiences in support of lasting healing.

I have particular experience helping individuals navigate grief, serious illness, caregiver stress, and major life transitions, as well as professionals who spend much of their lives caring for others.

My approach is warm, thoughtful, and collaborative. I strive to create a space where you feel genuinely heard, respected, and supported while also being gently challenged to grow. My goal is not simply to help you feel better, but to help you live with greater clarity, purpose, and emotional freedom.

If you're seeking compassionate, depth-oriented therapy that honors both your struggles and your capacity for growth, I'd be honored to walk alongside you.

My approach is grounded in the belief that anxiety, depression, grief, and emotional pain are often meaningful responses to life's experiences rather than problems to simply eliminate. Together, we'll explore what these experiences may be revealing about your needs, relationships, values, and sense of purpose, creating space for healing, personal growth, and lasting change.

I view therapy as a collaborative process of developing greater self-awareness, understanding long-standing patterns, and reconnecting with what matters most. Drawing from existential-humanistic therapy, depth-oriented work, and EMDR when appropriate, I help clients move beyond simply managing symptoms toward living with greater authenticity, resilience, and emotional freedom.

My years working in hospice and end-of-life care profoundly shaped how I understand suffering, resilience, and what gives life meaning. Walking alongside people through loss, uncertainty, and life's most difficult moments reinforced my belief that even profound challenges can become opportunities for healing and transformation. Therapy is more than feeling better—it's about helping you live more fully, deepen your relationships, and create a life that feels meaningful and aligned with who you are.

Our first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin understanding what has brought you to therapy at this point in your life. You don't need to have everything figured out before we meet. My role is to create a warm, thoughtful, and supportive space where you can share your story openly and without judgment.

Together, we'll explore the challenges you're facing, the patterns you've begun to notice, and what you hope will be different. We'll also identify your strengths, values, relationships, and inner resources that can support meaningful healing and growth.

As we develop a shared understanding of your goals, we'll discuss the therapeutic approach that best fits your needs—including EMDR when appropriate—and create a direction for our work together.

My hope is that you'll leave our first session feeling genuinely heard, with greater clarity about your next steps and confidence that we'll approach this work together with curiosity, compassion, and purpose.