Joanna Smith

LPC

Arizona

Motivational, values-focused counseling

Continue with Joanna

At a glance

Credentials

LPC

License

LPC, Arizona / LPC-24879

NPI

1922831668

Experience

4 years

Languages

English

Location

Arizona

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.

1. • Affirming for LGBT people
   • Action oriented
   • Trauma informed

   About Joanna

   Joanna Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Arizona with four years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people who are facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, and identity questions. Joanna aims to create an affirming, nonjudgmental space for people exploring sexuality and gender identity.

   Her work is practical and goal oriented. She uses Motivational Interviewing to help people find their own reasons for change and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to clarify values and take meaningful action. Joanna also draws on attachment-based ideas and emotionally-focused work to address patterns in relationships and past hurt.

   Joanna offers support for people coping with trauma, addictions, and life transitions. She helps with career strain, compassion fatigue, parenting stress, and challenges related to intimacy. She also works with clients confronting codependency, shame, and family of origin issues.

   Sessions are conversational and collaborative. She listens for strengths, then helps clients try small, manageable steps between meetings. When trauma is part of the picture, she can use EMDR techniques alongside talk therapy to help process painful memories.

   Joanna aims to help people build more satisfying relationships, clearer boundaries, and steadier mood. Her style is direct but compassionate, focused on real-world changes people can use in daily life. If you want to talk through where you are and plan the next steps, she guides that process with empathy and structure.

2. How Joanna’s approaches translate to online work

   Joanna often combines Motivational Interviewing and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients find personal motivation and live in ways that match their values. Motivational Interviewing focuses on drawing out a client's own reasons for change and reducing resistance, which can be useful for habit change and addiction concerns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings while committing to actions that reflect what matters to them. She also uses attachment-based ideas to look at relationship patterns and emotionally-focused techniques to name and process strong feelings. Finding the right approach happens together in the first few sessions; the therapist and client discuss goals and try methods that fit the client's needs and preferences. If you want online care, confirm available session formats before booking since the profile does not list specific formats. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, shorten travel time, and allow quick check-ins during a work break. Some formats also let clients choose whether to be on camera or not, which can help on days when being on screen feels difficult. Joanna will work with clients to set a practical plan that fits their everyday routine and therapeutic goals.

4. Areas of expertise

   Primary focus

   Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseCoaching

   Also works with

   AddictionsFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesDepressionCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

   Additional focus areas

   Attachment issuesBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionFamily of origin issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameInfidelityLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersPanic disorder and panic attacksPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

   Therapeutic approaches

   Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyEmotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

   Experience

   4+ years

   Listed in

   Arizona

   Languages

   English

5. Frequently asked questions

   What kinds of problems does Joanna help with?

   She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy issues, addiction concerns, trauma and abuse, ADHD, and related life challenges.

   How would you describe her therapy style?

   Her style is collaborative and practical, using Motivational Interviewing to elicit change and helping clients set small, doable steps between sessions.

   What is her professional background?

   Joanna has four years of clinical experience working with a range of concerns including trauma, identity, and relationship patterns.

   What credentials and region apply to this therapist?

   She holds an LPC credential and practices in Arizona.

   Which languages are supported in sessions?

   Sessions are offered in English.

   Can people outside the United States work with her?

   She is not currently accepting international clients.

   How does cost and billing work for sessions?

   Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

   How do I begin the process to meet with her?

   Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

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