Cara Smith, LCSW, CSW

Cara Smith is a Georgia-licensed clinical social worker with 20 years of professional experience. She works with adults on issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, career concerns, parenting strain, and relationship and intimacy-related issues. Cara also addresses addictions, sleep problems, anger, bipolar mood concerns, ADHD, and coping with life changes.

She has worked across age groups including children, adolescents, adults, and older adults, and brings that breadth to conversations about family dynamics and parenting. Her background includes supporting people through adoption and foster care questions, caregiver stress, and aging and geriatric concerns. She also helps with body image, codependency, communication problems, and feelings of isolation or shame.

Cara uses straightforward talk therapy methods and practical exercises to help people notice patterns and try different ways of responding. She draws on Client-Centered Therapy to keep the focus on each person’s priorities, and she uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques for skills and behavior change.

Sessions often involve setting small, concrete goals and practicing new skills between meetings. She also integrates mindfulness practices to help with anxiety and emotion regulation. Cara pays attention to workplace challenges, life purpose, and caregiving burdens when those issues come up.

People who come because parenting feels heavy, family relationships are strained, or they are facing a big life change may find the practical, skills-focused approach useful. To begin, she asks people to describe the most urgent concerns so sessions can focus on what matters now.

Approaches used in online sessions and how they fit daily life