DS Portrait of Donna Smith

Donna Smith, LCSW

Calm, experienced therapy for stress and anxiety

38 years in practice · based in Louisiana · sessions in English · online sessions

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About Donna

Donna Smith is a licensed clinical social worker with decades of experience helping people who feel overwhelmed by stress and anxiety. She focuses on clear, practical support for worry, low mood, relationship strain, trauma, and related concerns. Donna offers calm guidance and steady presence during hard conversations.

She has worked in medical and psychiatric settings for many years, which shaped her approach to everyday problems and complex stress. Donna uses methods that help people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck, and she teaches skills to manage upsetting moments.

Book with Donna Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Background and approach

Sessions are conversational and paced to each person’s needs. Donna often helps people coping with trauma and abuse, including painful experiences from childhood or later life. She also supports those facing postpartum depression and the added strain of prejudice or discrimination.

Her work centers on practical strategies and small changes that add up over time. Her approach combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and mindfulness-informed practices. She also draws on client-centered principles and relationship-focused tools when needed.

That mix allows her to tailor sessions to the specific problem and personality in front of her. Clients can expect straightforward goals, skill-building exercises, and space to talk through hard feelings. Donna aims to help people feel steadier, make clearer choices, and reconnect to what matters to them.

How Donna’s approaches work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice their thoughts and feelings without letting them drive every choice. It focuses on identifying values and taking small actions toward them, which can reduce the impact of anxiety and stress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at unhelpful thinking patterns and teaches practical skills to change behaviors and reactions, useful for anxiety and low mood. Mindfulness Therapy trains simple attention practices to reduce reactivity and support calmer responses to upsetting situations.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Donna will talk with each person about goals, what has helped before, and what feels manageable. Together they will try methods that fit the client’s needs and adjust as progress and preferences become clearer.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging are good for shorter check-ins, quick skill reminders, or when writing feels easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to fit sessions into a busy life and to maintain continuity when schedules change.
Book with Donna Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Questions people ask

What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship strain, and related concerns like postpartum depression and prejudice or discrimination.
What is her therapy style like?
Sessions are conversational and practical, with an emphasis on skill-building, present-moment awareness, and making choices that fit your values.
How long has she been practicing?
Donna has 38 years of experience, much of it in medical and psychiatric settings, working with a range of stress-related issues.
Where is she licensed and based?
Donna holds an LA LCSW and is based in Louisiana.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does payment work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a time according to the therapist's availability.

What this therapist works with

Most often

Experience
38 years
Licensed
Louisiana
Languages
English

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