Marianne Smith, LPC

Marianne Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Arizona with 28 years of experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, grief, and life transitions. She brings a long-held curiosity about human behavior and a deep respect for resilience to each session, helping clients identify strengths and practical steps toward their goals. Marianne has worked with individuals facing severe trauma, mood disorders, parenting difficulties, identity concerns, and the everyday strains of work and family life, and she centers hope and possibility in her therapeutic work.

Her path to counseling began with an early fascination for psychology, reading foundational thinkers such as Freud and Jung during adolescence. Life events delayed her initial plans, but a later friendship with a clinical psychologist provided mentorship and encouragement to pursue formal training. Marianne completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and went on to earn licensure as an LPC in Arizona.

Her style is friendly and easygoing, paired with direct, respectful communication. Marianne values authenticity and diversity and aims to create a warm, accepting atmosphere where clients can explore beliefs, patterns, and relationships without judgment. She works collaboratively to help people build self-esteem, improve communication, manage anger and caregiver stress, and find balance after loss or major change. Office hours are Monday through Friday with some flexibility; prospective clients are invited to message with several dates and times to arrange an initial meeting.

Approaches That Guide Online Care and Progress

Marianne integrates Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to support clients in online sessions. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist listens carefully and helps clients explore their values, feelings, and goals to build self-understanding and confidence. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and developing practical skills to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and improve coping with stress and relationships. Together these approaches address emotional concerns, communication problems, and patterns that interfere with daily life.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Marianne collaborates with each client to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting techniques over time so the work feels personally relevant and effective.

Online therapy with Marianne is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, which provides flexibility for busy schedules, caregiving responsibilities, or limited local options. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care and to integrate therapeutic strategies into everyday life while working with a licensed therapist who tailors the pace and focus to each individual.