Ryan Smith

Compassionate, goal-focused counseling for life changes

LPC Texas

Experience: 13 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Relationship
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages: English

About Ryan

Ryan Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Texas who connects with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, mood challenges, relationship struggles, and a wide range of life adjustments.

Background and approach

He brings 13 years of clinical experience and emphasizes practical, goal-oriented work that helps clients move toward clearer thinking and healthier patterns. Ryan has significant experience supporting LGBTQ clients and has worked extensively with families and parents navigating conflict, communication, and caregiving stress.

His practice draws on several established methods, including cognitive behavioral techniques to challenge unhelpful thoughts, client-centered principles that honor each person's perspective, and skills from dialectical behavior therapy to build emotion regulation and distress-tolerance. He also uses emotionally-focused and relational approaches when the focus is intimacy, attachment, or couples dynamics.

Ryan adapts interventions to the goals and values each client brings, and he is comfortable addressing issues related to addiction, trauma, grief, body image, and identity exploration.

Online therapy approaches and practical benefits

Ryan often uses cognitive behavioral techniques to help clients identify and reframe unhelpful thoughts and develop concrete strategies for changing behavior, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and many daily challenges. He also incorporates client-centered principles that prioritize the individual's perspective, listening carefully and shaping treatment around each person's values and goals. When emotion regulation or distress tolerance are central needs, elements of dialectical behavior therapy are used to teach skills for managing intense feelings and improving interpersonal effectiveness.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Ryan works with each person to explore goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped in the past, and then adapts methods to fit those needs rather than relying on a single method from the start. That collaborative stance helps clients feel involved in planning their care.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for scheduling and location. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, to maintain continuity when travel or relocation occurs, and to access licensed professionals from different places while working toward concrete goals.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns can be addressed in sessions?

Sessions cover a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, relationship and intimacy issues, trauma and abuse, grief, addiction, eating and body image struggles, parenting and family conflicts, and related areas such as abandonment, attachment, and codependency.

What is the therapist's approach or style in sessions?

The approach blends client-centered care with practical techniques like cognitive behavioral work and DBT skills when helpful, and draws on emotionally focused and relational methods for attachment and couples concerns; interventions are tailored to each person's goals.

How much clinical experience does the therapist have?

Ryan has 13 years of experience working with individuals and families across a variety of mental health concerns, including a history of supporting LGBTQ clients and addressing anger management and parenting needs.

Where is the therapist licensed and practicing?

The therapist practices in Texas and holds the credential LPC with licence TX LPC 67833 as listed.

Can sessions be conducted in other languages or with international clients?

Sessions are offered in English and the therapist accepts international clients, providing options that can work across different locations.

What session formats are available for appointments?

Clients can choose from video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on preference and availability.

How are fees and subscriptions handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; services use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time, so pricing depends on the chosen plan and scheduling.

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesParenting issues

Also works with

AddictionsFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse GriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepression

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily problemsFatherhood issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shame ImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-loveSex addictionSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

13+ years

Licensed

Texas

Languages

English