- Anxiety and phobia focus
- CBT and ACT methods
- Parenting support
About Mary
Mary Smith is an Alabama LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker) with 15 years of experience helping people facing stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, and self-esteem struggles. She lists social anxiety and phobia among her focus areas and works with people navigating life changes and motivation issues.
She often sees teens and young adults during big transitions, helping them name what feels hard and find small steps forward. Sessions are conversational and practical. She listens for patterns that keep problems going and looks for realistic changes a person can try between meetings.
Mary uses several therapy approaches to match a person’s needs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thoughts and test different reactions. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) supports noticing difficult feelings while moving toward chosen values. Client-Centered Therapy keeps the conversation focused on the person’s own goals and experience.
Her work also addresses relational concerns like communication problems, attachment issues, blended family stress, and caregiver strain. She helps people who carry guilt, shame, or feelings of emptiness to build clearer boundaries and steadier routines.
Practical problem solving is part of sessions. That can include short experiments, goal-setting, and motivational interviewing techniques to boost momentum. The approach is collaborative - the person and Mary decide what to try next based on what feels doable and relevant.
Therapeutic approaches used in online sessions
Mary often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy during online work. CBT focuses on spotting thoughts and behaviors that keep anxiety and depression going, then testing small changes to see what helps. ACT emphasizes noticing difficult feelings and choosing actions that match a person’s values, which can be useful when social anxiety or avoidance gets in the way of important goals.Choosing a method is a collaborative process. The therapist and client review what the person wants to achieve and try approaches that fit those goals. If an approach doesn’t feel helpful, they discuss adjustments and next steps together.
Confirm the session formats available before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, or reduce travel time so someone can meet around school or work. Practical tools like homework tasks, brief behavioral experiments, and motivational interviewing techniques translate well to remote sessions and help people try changes between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Listed in
Alabama
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, self-esteem, and coping with life changes, including social anxiety and phobia.
What is her therapy style?
Sessions are conversational and practical, using goal-setting, short experiments, and reflective discussion to address specific problems.
How much experience does she have?
Mary has 15 years of clinical experience as an LICSW in Alabama.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is an Alabama LICSW and practices in Alabama.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the US work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are session costs handled?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin the process?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.