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CS Portrait of Charmaine Smith

Charmaine Smith

Compassionate, practical therapy for everyday challenges

LMFT, MD, LCMFT Kentucky

Experience
17 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages
English
Continue with Charmaine

About Charmaine

Charmaine Smith brings 17 years of clinical experience to clients seeking support with stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, family issues, and self-esteem concerns. She works from a respectful, sensitive stance and emphasizes compassion while tailoring conversations and treatment plans to each person's unique needs.

Background and approach

Charmaine encourages clients who are ready to begin change and acknowledges the courage it takes to start therapy. Her background includes licensure as an LMFT and LCMFT and an MD credential, and she practices in Kentucky.

Over her career she has supported people navigating a wide range of concerns including abandonment, adoption and foster care matters, blended family dynamics, caregiving stress, communication and commitment problems, body image and cancer-related challenges, divorce and domestic violence, and fatherhood and family-of-origin issues.

She draws on multiple evidence-informed approaches to build collaborative care plans that match a client's goals and circumstances.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Charmaine commonly integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into online work. CBT focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress and to improve daily functioning. ACT emphasizes values-driven action and learning to relate differently to difficult thoughts and feelings, which can help with low motivation, emptiness, and self-esteem concerns.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and life circumstances and adapt methods over time so the plan aligns with what the client wants to achieve and how they prefer to work. This flexible collaboration helps shape whether sessions emphasize skills, emotional processing, or relationship repair.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering practical flexibility for people balancing work, caregiving, or geography. These options allow for regular contact and varied modes of communication so clients can choose what fits their routine and comfort level while maintaining continuity of care with a licensed professional.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship and family conflicts, and self-esteem or motivation issues, along with a variety of related topics like caregiving stress, adoption and foster care, body image, and divorce.
What is her therapeutic style and approach?
Her work is collaborative and compassionate, combining practical, goal-focused techniques with relational and emotion-focused methods to fit each person's needs.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 17 years of professional experience working with a range of individual and family concerns.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She holds LMFT and LCMFT credentials as well as an MD; licensing details include TX LMFT 202109 and MD LCMFT LCM1090, and she practices in Kentucky.
In what language can I meet with her?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
Which session formats are available?
Clients can work with her via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on their needs and preferences.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps should I take to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsSelf esteemCoaching

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMulticultural concernsPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapySystemic Therapy

Experience

17+ years

Licensed

Kentucky, Texas, Maryland

Languages

English