Ryan Smith, LPC-S, NCC

My Background

I am a licensed professional counselor in Texas and have 10+ years of experience working with a variety mental health issues and ages. I specialize in working with the LGBTQIA+ population, with anything from helping people through the process of figuring out their identity to relationship counseling to coping with any oppression they might face. I have participated in trainings that have provided me with extensive knowledge about how to sensitively and effectively help people that identify themselves as part of the LGBTQIA+ community.  When my career started, I worked with individuals with anger management needs and currently have a comprehensive amount of experience with families and helping parents through any issues they might be facing.  I have experience working with clients as young as 4 years old to clients in their senior years of life, and everything in between.  I am passionate about my role as your counselor, and I believe you will pick up on that passion from the very start of our journey together.   

My Approach

I have knowledge and practice of many prominent counseling theories and will adapt my counseling approach to your needs and goals. I tend to implement an eclectic approach to therapy, including psychodynamic, emotion-focused, and solution-focused approaches.

I tend to think outside of the box and try to find unique solutions that are catered to you individually. I enjoy using cognitive-behavioral techniques (CBT) to address specific habits that might be standing in the way of your goals and living your best life. On top of developing cognitive tools, I find that it is also helpful to develop tools that focuses on the body’s reaction.  Using points from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I will guide you in methods that can be a great addition to the cognitive tools to help your body calm in order to process through your thoughts more clearly.