Willow Wakeley-Smith
LCSW
Missouri
Practical, collaborative care for everyday challenges
Continue with WillowAt a glance
- Credentials
- LCSW
- License
- LCSW, Missouri / 2024010996
- NPI
- 1326732470
- Experience
- 5 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- Missouri
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
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- Motivation and change
- Stress and anxiety
- Parenting support
About Willow
Willow Wakeley-Smith is a licensed clinical social worker who centers sessions on collaboration and real-world progress. She uses Motivational Interviewing alongside other approaches to help people build motivation, cope with stress, and make changes they can keep. Willow speaks plainly and aims to make therapy feel practical and doable for busy lives.
She focuses on common concerns such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, addictions, parenting challenges, and mood disorders. She also supports people dealing with trauma, grief, sleeping problems, self-esteem, career questions, and relationship strain. Additional areas of work include adoption and foster care issues, autism and Asperger Syndrome, gender dysphoria, and obsessive-compulsive concerns.
Willow has five years of clinical experience working with adults and more than ten years of broader professional experience that included work with children and schools. That background informs how she addresses parenting stress and supports caregivers facing burnout. She aims to tailor plans so progress shows up in everyday routines and responsibilities.
In sessions she draws on Client-Centered Therapy to follow each person’s goals and concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used when people want concrete skills to manage thoughts and behaviors. Mindfulness and narrative approaches are offered to help people notice patterns and make different choices.
Willow holds an LCSW, licensed in Missouri. Sessions are conducted in English. People outside the United States are not currently accepted. To begin, clients use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
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How therapeutic approaches shape online care
Willow combines Motivational Interviewing with Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people make changes that matter. Motivational Interviewing focuses on drawing out a person's own reasons for change and reducing resistance; it can be useful for areas like addiction, motivation, and behavior change. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and following each person's priorities so sessions reflect what matters most to them. CBT offers practical strategies to identify unhelpful thoughts and build new habits, which helps with anxiety, depression, and ADHD-related challenges.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Willow will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped in the past. She tailors methods collaboratively and adjusts the plan as progress and needs change.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, shorten travel time, and allow for follow-up conversations between in-person visits. It also allows a therapist and client to choose approaches that translate well to remote work, like skill practice, motivational conversations, and guided mindfulness exercises. Ask about formats offered when you complete the matching questionnaire so sessions match your needs and daily life. -
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefSleeping disordersSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueAdditional focus areas
Adoption and foster careAntisocial personalityAutism and Asperger SyndromeBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problemsControl issuesFamily problemsGender dysphoriaHoardingImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPersonality disordersSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesYoung adult issuesTherapeutic approaches
Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyExperience
5+ years
Listed in
Missouri
Languages
English
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Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns can Willow help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, addictions, parenting challenges, trauma, grief, sleep problems, self-esteem, relationship strain, and related life changes.
How would you describe her approach in sessions?
She uses Motivational Interviewing to build motivation and client-centered methods to follow each person's goals, often pairing these with skills-focused CBT when useful.
What is her professional background?
Willow has five years of clinical work with adults and over ten years of professional experience that included work in schools with children and parents.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an LCSW and is licensed in Missouri.
Which languages are supported and can international clients work together?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started if this sounds like a fit?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
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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