Brett Smith, LMFT

Brett Smith is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with 22 years of experience. He works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy concerns, and codependency among other issues.

Brett speaks from long personal and professional experience. He is a combat veteran and a former law enforcement officer who pursued counseling after addressing his own PTSD. That background shapes how he looks at trauma and how trauma can alter behavior over long periods.

His approach in the room is direct and practical. He often uses dialectical behavior therapy to teach skills for emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. He adapts his methods when a client needs a different approach and draws on techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, Jungian ideas, and mindfulness when helpful.

Work with him typically focuses on identifying patterns that drain energy - like people-pleasing, chronic caretaking, or unresolved family issues - and learning concrete steps to change those patterns. He also brings experience from emergency psychiatry work, which sharpened his assessment and crisis management skills.

Outside of clinical work Brett sails, backpacks, kayaks, and trains dogs with his wife. He also shares videos related to therapy topics on his YouTube channel for those who want to explore ideas before starting sessions.

Therapeutic approaches used and how they translate to online work