- CBT methods
- DBT skills
- Mindfulness work
About Paula
Paula Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with four years of practice in Texas and Oklahoma. She focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, bipolar mood concerns, trauma and abuse, relationship struggles, grief, self-esteem, and LGBT issues. Paula also helps with aging and geriatric questions, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, and workplace or identity-related concerns.
Paula uses straightforward, evidence-informed methods in sessions. She leans on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to address unhelpful thinking and build coping skills. Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing also appear in her work to support present-moment awareness and motivation for change.
In practical terms, Paula helps people notice patterns that keep them stuck and then try different habits to feel better. She talks through relationship and communication problems, supports those handling grief or loss, and works with people exploring sexual identity. Sessions tend to focus on skills, thinking patterns, and small experiments to test what helps.
Her background as an LCSW informs a focus on life context and connection to community resources. Paula meets people where current problems intersect with past experiences, such as attachment issues, codependency, or the emotional fallout of trauma. She also addresses practical challenges like caregiver burden or blended-family stress.
Paula asks clients to set clear, short-term goals and revisits progress regularly. She encourages using mindfulness and DBT skills between sessions, and she draws on psychodynamic ideas when looking at repeated relationship patterns. The overall aim is to help people who feel stuck notice options and try manageable steps forward.
How Paula integrates evidence-based approaches online
Paula commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in her clinical work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on noticing and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes practical skills for managing intense emotions, improving interpersonal effectiveness, and tolerating distress.She also brings mindfulness techniques into sessions to help with present-moment awareness and stress reduction. These approaches are often combined with Motivational Interviewing techniques to strengthen a client’s motivation for change. Together they aim to create concrete steps a person can try between appointments.
Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. Paula will discuss options, listen to your goals, and adjust methods based on what seems to help. She checks progress and reshapes the plan as needed so the work aligns with each person’s needs and preferences.
Session format details are not specified in the biography, so confirm the available online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets people practice skills in the settings where they live and work, which can make experiments and behavior changes more practical.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
4+ years
Listed in
Oklahoma, Texas
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar mood concerns, addictions, trauma and abuse, relationship issues, grief, self-esteem, and LGBT concerns. Additional focuses include caregiver stress, chronic illness, and blended-family issues.
How would she approach feeling stuck or directionless?
She uses evidence-informed methods to identify unhelpful patterns and test small behavior changes. Sessions often combine skills practice, mindfulness, and reflective conversation to clarify what matters next.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has four years of professional experience as a practicing clinician. That experience includes work with mood disorders, trauma survivors, and LGBT clients.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Texas and Oklahoma and practices from Texas.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are used?
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current session options before booking.
How do I get started and what do sessions cost?
To begin, select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session. Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.