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BS Portrait of Brett Smith

Brett Smith

Practical therapy for complex life challenges

LMFT California

Experience
22 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Family, Trauma and abuse
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Languages
English
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About Brett

Brett Smith is a California-based licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 22 years of clinical experience who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma and related concerns.

Background and approach

He works with a broad range of issues including depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy challenges, grief, self-esteem, eating and sleep difficulties, parenting concerns, ADHD, and compassion fatigue. Additional areas of focus include body image, codependency, communication and control issues, dissociation, family of origin dynamics, infidelity, and mood disorders.

His therapeutic approach is pragmatic and direct, drawing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a core method alongside Dialectical Behavior Therapy, hypnotherapy, Jungian ideas, and mindfulness-based techniques. Brett blends these methods to match each person's situation, using skills-based work and exploratory approaches when appropriate.

He brings experience from crisis assessment settings and post-graduate hypnotherapy training to support clients facing complex or persistent symptoms. Outside of practice he enjoys outdoor activities and sailing, and shares educational material through a public YouTube channel.

Brett frames therapy as collaborative problem-solving aimed at reducing life’s obstacles and helping clients move toward a fuller sense of possibility.

Approach-oriented online care with flexible formats

Many clients benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaching practical skills to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and improve daily functioning. Dialectical Behavior Therapy adds emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills useful for intense emotions and relationship difficulties. Hypnotherapy can be used as a complementary tool to support guided imagery and focused relaxation for habits, trauma symptoms, or persistent anxiety.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and is decided collaboratively. The therapist will work with each person to select or combine techniques that fit their goals, preferences, and the nature of the presenting concerns rather than relying on a single method.

Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging provides flexibility to fit sessions into busy schedules and to access care from different locations. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care, practice skills between meetings, and choose the communication style that feels most comfortable while working toward personal goals.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Brett address?
He supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related issues, grief, self-esteem, eating and sleeping problems, parenting challenges, ADHD, compassion fatigue, and many related concerns such as body image and codependency.
What is his general therapeutic style?
His style is direct and solution-oriented, combining practical skills training with exploratory work. He adapts methods to the needs of each person and emphasizes collaboration and clear strategies for change.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has 22 years of experience in the counseling field, including work conducting emergency psychiatric assessments and treating persistent trauma and personality-related symptoms.
What credentials and location should I know about?
He is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with the credential CA LMFT 46410 and practices from that state.
Can I work with him if I live outside the United States?
International clients are accepted and he conducts sessions with people who are located outside the country.
In what formats are sessions offered?
Sessions are available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide multiple ways to engage in therapy.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What is the process to begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBody imageCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDissociationFamily of origin issuesFirst responder issuesInfidelityJealousyVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexuality

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)HypnotherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness Therapy

Experience

22+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English