About Jerry
Jerry Smith is a Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselor with 23 years of experience. He focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, anger, trauma, and depression. He meets each person where they are and treats them with straightforward respect and patience.
Jerry believes clients are experts in their own lives. He helps people identify strengths they already have and build on those abilities. Sessions are practical and focused on small, manageable steps people can try between meetings.
Background and approach
He has worked in mental health for more than two decades, learning a range of approaches to address panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, social anxiety, and feelings of guilt or shame. That breadth of experience means he can offer different ways to approach a problem and adjust as needs change.
In sessions he listens closely and asks questions to clarify what matters most to the client. He uses that understanding to create simple plans that target the most pressing concerns first. Progress is tracked in real terms, such as fewer panic symptoms, clearer routines, or improved mood.
Jerry offers therapy in English and accepts international clients. He encourages people to take the next step when they feel ready and will walk through the process of starting therapy at a comfortable pace.
How evidence-based approaches translate to online therapy
Many evidence-based techniques focus on changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. For example, cognitive strategies help people notice and shift anxious or self-critical thoughts, which can reduce panic and social anxiety symptoms. These techniques teach concrete skills people can practice between sessions.Exposure-based methods involve gradual, supported steps toward feared situations or memories. That approach can reduce post-traumatic stress and panic by helping a person build confidence through repeated practice and manageable tasks. Sessions use step-by-step planning so progress is clear and measurable.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped in the past. Together they will try methods that match those needs and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Online formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction for skill teaching and emotion work. Phone sessions can be used when video would be difficult, such as low bandwidth situations. Live chat and text messaging are helpful for brief check-ins, symptom monitoring, and between-session support. These options give flexibility and make it simpler to keep momentum toward goals.
Questions people ask
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What this counselor works with
Most often
Also listed
- Experience
- 23 years
- Licensed
- Tennessee
- Languages
- English