Hi there, I'm Ellen!

I have practiced counseling in Georgia, California, and Ohio for the last 20 years, treating a variety of mental health concerns with a goal of helping people resolve conflicts and increase their sense of well-being.

My focus

I work with adult and adolescent clients in Georgia, California, and Ohio. My specialties include, but are not limited to, depression, anxiety, trauma, personality issues, grief and loss, addiction, relationship dynamics, and sexual health. I have often worked with the LGBTQIA community. I work with any individual dealing with sex related issues.

My approach

I practice "Existential" psychotherapy, meaning that I believe we have the freedom and responsibility to discover and incorporate what matters to us into our daily experiences. Metaphorically, we write the screenplays of our lives. What happens in your movie?

My communication style

My communication style is warm, inclusive, and supportive. I'm a little bit of a hippie, so I'm fairly laid back.

My journey to mental healthcare

I have an MFA in painting, and I used to teach art in colleges across the U.S. The relationships and discussions that I had with my students led me to value most the human connection I experienced. In 2003, I re-entered graduate school to obtain an MEd in clinical counseling, and I have been working as a counselor ever since.

My goals for you

I use a collaborative approach to goal setting and work with clients to gain insight into what's working, what's not, and what can be worked on.

Our first session

During an initial session, I conduct a "bio-psychosocial" interview, which helps me get a history and background information so that I can see the bigger picture. The following sessions are conducted in a "Person-Centered" modality, which means that the client controls the direction of the discussion. I am not the expert. You are.

I identify as...

Female, Cis
Caucasian or White
Agnostic

Expertise

Specialties

+ 11 more

Treatment approaches

Humanistic

Sex Therapy

Trauma Focused

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Dialectical (DBT)

Expressive Arts

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Interpersonal

Mindfulness-Based

Psychodynamic

Rational Emotive Behavior (REBT)

+ 11 more

Focus populations

LGBTQIA+

Military/Veterans

Recovery/12 Step Friendly

Aviation Professionals

Body Positivity

Educators

Police/Fire/First Responders

Racial Justice

Sex Worker

Transgender

+ 10 more

Therapy types

Individual Therapy

Ages served

Adults

Practice

Accepted insurance providers

Ascension-SmartHealth
Ambetter
Create
Curative
MagnaCare

+ 2 more

Languages spoken

English, French

Education

Masters of Education (MED) LPC from Ohio University.

Sessions

60 minutes

Virtual sessions

In-person sessions

37 W Fairmont Ave Suite 320, Savannah, GA 31406

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Ellen Smith