Emily Smith MS, LMHC, NCC

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. I've had the honor of working with hundreds of clients providing therapy in both medical and behavioral health settings over the past 14 years. I'm passionate about mental health and excited to share my experience and knowledge to assist you on your journey of wellness and intentional living.

My education was through Western Washington University where I obtained a Psychology BA and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling. This graduate program is CACREP accredited and selects only 6 candidates a year to highly educate and personally mentor in becoming therapists. For many years following completion of these degrees I provided community mental health services in Bellingham, WA.

Through the years I’ve worked with many different primary concerns including anxiety, trauma, abuse, neglect, depression, health changes, and relationship distress. I specialize in providing treatment for anxiety, obsessive thinking (OCD), stress, emotional dysregulation, life transitions (incl. leaving fundamental religions), and relational codependency. Additionally, I have specialized training in providing competent counseling for the LGBTQIA+ population. I enjoy working with people of all sexual orientations, genders, and relationship configurations. 

My personal approach in providing therapy is centered on modalities that build awareness and are evidence based. These include Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I focus on helping my clients build awareness, heal from past injuries, and find freedom from unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior to live intentionally in the present moment. I provide a compassionate healing space for clients to comfortably address their concerns. Often I include mental health assessment, education, and skill building in my practice.

Outside of practicing therapy I enjoy yoga, weight lifting, cooking, and playing Zelda. I also enjoy hanging out with my dogs Zeus and Xena while going to the great parks and trails in Bellingham.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have about me or the services that I provide. I provide a free 20 minute phone consultation to discuss if we would be a good fit for therapy.