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DS Portrait of Dora Smith

Dora Smith

Practical, compassionate support for change

LPC Virginia

Experience
9 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Coping with life changes, Addictions
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages
English
Continue with Dora

About Dora

Dora Smith is a licensed professional counselor with nine years of clinical experience who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addiction concerns, and major life changes.

Background and approach

She brings a compassionate, client-centered stance that emphasizes collaboration and practical skills, guiding clients toward clearer thinking, stronger coping, and improved day-to-day functioning. Her work draws on cognitive behavioral techniques alongside mindfulness practices and elements of dialectical behavior therapy and motivational interviewing to address issues like self-esteem, communication problems, chronic health challenges, and adjustment after loss or transition.

Dora pays attention to patterns that keep problems active while helping clients develop concrete strategies for symptom management and healthier habits. Based in Virginia and credentialed as an LPC, she offers services in English and accepts international clients.

Her background includes addressing complex concerns such as attachment and abandonment issues, blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, pain and disability, substance use concerns, and the emotional effects of separation and adoption. Dora aims to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore their values and build sustainable change.

Integrating evidence-based approaches with flexible online care

Therapy with Dora often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps clients identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns through practical exercises and skill building. CBT is commonly used for anxiety, depression, stress, and habit change and emphasizes action-oriented steps toward improvement.

She also uses client-centered techniques that prioritize the person's goals, values, and experience, offering reflective listening and a supportive stance to help clients explore what matters most to them. Dialectical behavior therapy skills may be woven in to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness when those practical tools fit a client's needs.

Finding the right mix of methods is a collaborative process; the therapist works together with each client to tailor approaches based on their concerns, goals, and personal preferences. That shared decision-making helps shape a treatment plan that feels relevant and doable.

Online sessions are available by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, which provides scheduling flexibility and easier access from different locations. These formats allow ongoing skill practice, brief check-ins, and regular sessions in ways that fit busy lives and changing needs.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Dora commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship and family issues, self-esteem, and coping with life changes among other related concerns.
What is her therapeutic style and approach?
Her style is collaborative and client-centered, often using cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, DBT skills, and motivational interviewing to build coping skills and clearer thinking.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has nine years of experience practicing as a counselor and has worked with a range of complex emotional and adjustment concerns.
What credentials and location information are available?
Her credential is LPC with license details SC LPC 9628 and VA LPC 0701012259, and she practices from Virginia.
Which languages are offered and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English, and she does accept international clients.
In what session formats can clients meet with her?
Clients may connect via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on their preference and availability.
How are costs 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 is the first step to begin working together?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyCoping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefSelf esteemDepression

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCommitment issuesCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily problemsFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

9+ years

Licensed

Virginia, South Carolina

Languages

English