About Brian
Brian Smerdon is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with 11 years of clinical experience. He focuses on everyday problems like stress, anxiety, grief, and low self-esteem. He meets people where they are and helps them move forward at a pace that feels manageable.
Brian centers sessions on what the person brings to the room. He uses client-centered methods to listen closely and build on strengths people already have. He also draws on cognitive behavioral strategies to help change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns.
Background and approach
Mindfulness techniques are part of his work, teaching simple ways to lessen overwhelm and return attention to the present. Motivational interviewing helps when someone feels stuck or unsure about change by clarifying values and next steps. Psychodynamic ideas are used to notice patterns that repeat across relationships and life stages.
Over his career he has supported people dealing with trauma and abuse, coping with life transitions, and navigating addiction or caregiver stress. He also addresses concerns like abandonment, attachment struggles, guilt, shame, and questions about life purpose and meaning. Brian practices in Florida and holds the LMHC credential.
Sessions are offered in English through online formats that fit different schedules. He aims for a straightforward, respectful style so people can talk about hard things without extra jargon.
Approaches that fit online therapy sessions
Brian typically uses client-centered therapy, which means sessions begin with listening and building on the person’s strengths. This approach helps people feel understood and guides the pace of work to what feels doable.He also uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. CBT is useful for anxiety and stress because it teaches clear, step-by-step skills to reduce worry and improve coping.
Mindfulness techniques are taught in short exercises that can be practiced between sessions to lower reactivity and increase focus. These tools are practical and can be used during daily routines.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and preferences, and he will adjust the plan as progress is made.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video is useful for a near-face-to-face conversation, phone works well with lower bandwidth, live chat or text can be shorter check-ins or fit into a busy day. These options make it easier to schedule regular sessions and keep momentum between meetings.
Questions people ask
What kinds of problems does he help address?
What is his therapeutic style like?
How long has he been practicing professionally?
Where is he licensed and located?
Which languages are available for sessions?
Can people from other countries work with him?
What session formats are offered online?
How are costs and starting steps handled?
What this therapist works with
Most often
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Multicultural concerns
- Personality disorders
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 11 years
- Licensed
- Florida
- Languages
- English
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