Shanua Smith, LPC-MH - Therapist in South Dakota

CBT techniques
Client-centered work
Trauma-focused care

About Shanua

Shanua Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health (LPC-MH) practicing in South Dakota with 19 years of experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, relationship concerns, and related issues such as grief and parenting. She also works with concerns like ADHD, addictions, self-esteem, and sleep difficulties.

Her sessions emphasize straightforward conversation and practical coping strategies. Shanua uses approaches that focus on how thoughts and behaviors interact and on addressing traumatic memories when they are part of the problem. She draws on client-centered work to keep sessions focused on the person's goals and immediate needs.

Shanua integrates cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thinking and develop small, testable behavior changes. She also uses trauma-focused methods and EMDR when trauma-related symptoms affect daily life. Motivational interviewing is applied when people want help making changes but feel unsure about taking the first steps.

In the room she aims to help people name what is most distressing, choose one or two manageable steps, and practice them between sessions. Sessions can include skills practice, guided memory work for trauma, and coaching on communication and boundaries. The emphasis is on clear, usable tools rather than abstract theory.

Shanua’s background includes nearly two decades of clinical work in South Dakota. Her LPC-MH credential indicates licensure in mental health counseling. People who want to explore next steps can follow the site's process to match and schedule an initial appointment.

How Shanua integrates approaches for online work

Shanua draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-focused methods in her clinical work. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and helps people try small, practical changes to reduce anxiety or depressive patterns. Trauma-focused therapy addresses the ways past hurt affects current functioning and includes techniques to process traumatic memories and reduce their impact.

She also uses client-centered principles to keep sessions focused on each person’s goals. Finding the right combination of methods is part of the process. Shanua will work with the client to decide which approaches fit best based on needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting methods over time as progress and challenges become clearer.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the current session formats before booking so you know what is offered. Online work can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy life - for example it can reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins during a break, or let someone avoid being on camera when that helps them focus. The therapist will discuss practical arrangements and what to expect in early meetings so sessions can be integrated into everyday routines.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuse Grief Depression

Also works with

AddictionsFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

Abandonment Attachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessForgiveness Guilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivity Isolation / loneliness Life purposeMidlife crisisMood disorders Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stress Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues Workplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Motivational InterviewingTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

19+ years

Listed in

South Dakota

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, relationship issues, grief, parenting concerns, and related areas such as ADHD and addictions.

What is her overall approach in sessions?

Sessions focus on clear conversation and practical steps. Techniques include exploring thoughts and behaviors and addressing traumatic memories when needed.

How much clinical experience does she have?

Shanua has 19 years of experience providing mental health counseling in South Dakota.

What credential does she hold and where is she located?

She is an LPC-MH, which stands for Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health, and practices in South Dakota.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can people outside the US work with her?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How are sessions arranged and what do they cost?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin if I want a first appointment?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.