Cortney (Bota) Smith
Compassionate, goal-focused mental health support
LMHC New York
- Experience
- 11 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Anger, Bipolar
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Cortney
Cortney (Bota) Smith is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) who draws on more than a decade of clinical experience to support adults facing a range of life challenges.
Background and approach
She emphasizes a person-centered stance, creating a respectful, nonjudgmental environment and collaborating with clients to identify goals and practical steps forward. Cortney combines solution-focused strategies with cognitive behavioral techniques to help people address symptoms such as anxiety, depression, bipolar mood concerns, anger, addictions, trauma, grief, intimacy-related difficulties, sleep problems, parenting stress, and career or self-esteem challenges.
Her background includes work in community clinics and substantial face-to-face practice with adult clients, supplemented by extensive teletherapy experience over the past several years. Cortney holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, and completed 1,000 clinical internship hours across varied placements.
She is licensed in New York (NY LMHC 007249) and offers therapy by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. Availability tends to be Monday 9am-2pm and Wednesday 9am-3pm Eastern Time, with occasional evening appointments when possible.
Online approaches that prioritize practical change
Client-centered therapy invites the therapist to meet clients where they are, emphasizing empathy and collaborative goal-setting to help people explore what matters most to them; this approach supports work on issues like grief, relationship concerns, self-esteem, and the stress of life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and testing new strategies in daily life, making it a practical option for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and mood-related symptoms. Motivational Interviewing complements these approaches by enhancing motivation and resolving ambivalence, which can be particularly helpful when addressing addictions or making difficult behavioral changes.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will explore a client's needs, goals, and preferences and then suggest strategies or combinations of methods that fit those priorities. That collaborative planning helps tailor sessions so they remain focused and relevant to the person's real-life concerns.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing people to access licensed professionals from different settings and routines. These formats make it easier to fit regular sessions into busy lives, maintain continuity during transitions, and pick the communication style that feels most comfortable for each client.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English