- Client-centered approach
- 25 years experience
- Relationship focus
About Lance
Dr. Lance Smith helps people navigate stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, depression, addiction, trauma, grief, parenting strain, anger, and problems with self-esteem. He also addresses intimacy concerns, bipolar challenges, ADHD, and compassion fatigue. He is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist and brings 25 years of experience to his work in California.
Dr. Smith aims to make therapy a calm, respectful place where clients can talk about what matters most to them. He is thoughtful and compassionate and focuses on listening first. That gives people room to describe difficult moments without feeling rushed.
His sessions mix practical skills with attention to personal experience. He uses client-centered ideas to follow each person’s pace. He draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful patterns and solution-focused steps to set small, doable goals.
Attachment-based principles guide work on close relationships and long-standing trust issues. For couples, elements of the Gottman Method may be included to improve communication and reduce conflict. He also adapts strategies for parents coping with blended family or caregiver stress.
Dr. Smith has worked across many settings over his career and has supported people facing multicultural concerns, hospice and end-of-life challenges, and post-traumatic stress. He encourages straightforward conversations about goals and tracks progress as therapy moves forward. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions based on availability.
How his approaches translate to online work
Dr. Smith often blends client-centered work with attachment-based and cognitive behavioral ideas. Client-centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the client’s lead, which helps people feel heard and able to set the pace. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in close relationships and is useful when trust or abandonment issues affect current connections. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and helps people try different actions to see what improves daily life.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist starts by asking about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they try methods that fit the person’s situation and adjust as progress unfolds.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm the current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when helpful. It can also let people use tools from CBT and attachment work in the moment, such as practicing communication skills or trying a brief grounding exercise between sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
Oklahoma, Utah, California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does he help with?
He supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, addictions, trauma, grief, parenting issues, anger, self-esteem, ADHD, and related worries.
How would you describe his therapeutic style?
He listens first and follows a client-centered approach, then blends practical steps from cognitive behavioral and solution-focused work based on each person’s goals.
How much experience does he have?
He has 25 years of experience providing counseling in various settings and with a wide range of concerns.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
He is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) with licensure in California and works from California.
Can sessions be held in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does he work with international clients?
He is not currently accepting international clients.
How much do sessions cost and how are they billed?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.