Anxiety and depression therapists and psychiatrists in Missouri

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri with over three years of experience helping individuals navigate and process traumatic events. I am passionate about supporting clients in growing and excelling amid life's challenges. I want everyone to grow and become a healthier, more balanced version of themselves.

My name is Alicia Smith, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker​ in Kansas and Missouri.

I specialize in working with youth​ & young adults who are navigating trauma, chronic stress, and difficult life transitions. Many of the people I work with feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure how to move forward, and my goal is to offer a space where they can feel supported, understood, and empowered

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri with 10 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, coping with grief and loss, motivation, and self esteem. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to partner with me in a journey towards healing and wellness.

My commitment to you is simple: I will listen carefully, communicate openly, and act with integrity in every interaction. I’ll take the time to understand your unique goals, challenges, and values, and I’ll tailor my approach to meet your needs rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions. You can expect transparency from me at every step. I’ll explain not only what I recommend, but why I recommend it, so you always feel informed and empowered to make decisions.

I have nearly 20 years of experience helping children, adolescents, adults, and families navigate life's challenges. My background includes working as an elementary school counselor, pediatric mental health therapist, adjunct professor, and private practice therapist. I hold a Master's in Counseling from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and am certified in Play Therapy. I strive to create a warm, supportive space where clients feel understood and empowered to grow.

I came to train and serve as a counselor after being helped by counseling in my 40s. Sometimes reaching out for help and making changes in life is scary and overwhelming. Sometimes we need support as we navigate these changes. I love to support my clients as they make life-giving changes.

I am curious and validating, providing a nurturing environment to talk openly and honestly about your struggles, strengths, weaknesses, needs, likes, and dislikes. I love helping people explore their unique and particular powers as well as how these powers impact their world and their relationships. As a passionate supporter of those who have been through unjust or otherwise traumatic experiences--including those experiencing discrimination based upon race or gender identity or sexual orientation--I am particularly interested in helping people gain skills for dealing with, and making sense of, the remnants of their pasts.

Having completed Bessel Van der Kolk's Trauma Research Foundation's Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies in early 2025, I have a strong foundational understanding of the most cutting edge approaches to treating trauma. I am also comfortable using a combination of approaches, including Psychodynamic, Gestalt, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I received an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, a psychodynamically focused program, after which I completed Bryn Mawr's certificate program in psychodynamic psychotherapy. I have also completed 1 year of Gestalt Therapy training and the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Immersion Program.

As an LCSW, my training emphasized the role of social environment--from the family to society at large--in how we construct our narratives, enabling me to help you make sense of what in your life is yours to own and what is a product of your environment.