- Family of origin
- CBT and ACT
- Relationship issues
About Donna
Donna Smith is a New York Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with 35 years of clinical experience. She works with adults on stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship and intimacy concerns, and a broad set of family-related issues including family of origin patterns. She also supports people facing challenges such as addiction, ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, and gender dysphoria.
Donna prefers one-on-one work and focuses on helping people notice patterns that shape their day-to-day life. Sessions typically involve talking through current struggles, clarifying goals, and practicing skills to respond differently to old habits. She draws on practical tools rather than jargon so people can use what they learn right away.
Her approach blends several well-established methods. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy offers concrete steps to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people identify values and take action toward them even when feelings are difficult. Client-Centered Therapy keeps the conversation grounded in the person’s priorities and perspective.
Donna has a background that includes university training in counseling and decades working in varied mental health settings. That experience informs how she attends to issues like abandonment, attachment, control and communication problems. She also integrates attention to life-stage challenges such as aging and caregiving stress.
Outside clinical work she pursues creative writing, which she sometimes uses to help people reflect on their personal stories and consider new possibilities. To begin, she asks people to complete a short questionnaire and schedule an initial session to set goals together.
How therapeutic approaches guide online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice internal experiences without getting stuck in them and choose actions that reflect what matters. Online sessions can use ACT to clarify values and practice small steps toward those values between appointments. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with experiments and behavioral changes. CBT techniques translate well to virtual conversations and short take-home exercises that people can use in daily life. Client-Centered Therapy keeps the focus on the person’s own priorities and perspective. In remote sessions this means the therapist follows the client’s agenda, reflects what’s said, and helps people find their own solutions. Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options and collaborate with the client to decide which methods fit best for their goals, preferences, and current situation. That decision can evolve over time as needs change. Confirm the session formats offered before booking, since options are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins by phone or messaging when needed, or support longer video meetings for in-depth work. Practical benefits include easier scheduling, reduced travel, and more flexibility to maintain therapy alongside everyday responsibilities.Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
35+ years
Listed in
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, and many family-related problems including family of origin issues.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses straightforward, one-on-one conversations that focus on current problems, goals, and practical skills people can apply between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 35 years of experience working in a range of mental health settings and one-on-one practice.
What credential and location are listed?
She is a New York Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with clients outside the United States?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session to set goals and plan next steps.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.