Larissa Smith (she/her)

I am trained in Trust-Based Relational Intervention and Theraplay, which center around how interpersonal experience support or harm how our sense of self develops, which is the basis of attachment theory. This gives me a clear lens to evaluate why your experience of yourself and others may not be satisfying to you, and to determine what shifts could be beneficial as you work toward your hopes for yourself.

I have been actively using EMDR with clients since shortly after I started providing clinical care. I like to say it's the closest thing to a magic wand that I have in my arsenal. I have completed additional training toward certification and receive ongoing consultation support. EMDR shapes most of what happens in session, by identifying how our past informs our present struggles, and then as the tool for actually improving it.

Here in the South, there is a level of sexism in the very air we breathe, the way we were coached to behave, and in the way others were trained to view us. It can be a lot to navigate what it means to be a woman - in your family, in the workplace, in a relationship, as a parent, as a partner, in social circles. If things just feel really hard and you can't put your finger on why, we can explore that! There are lots of ways to take charge of yourself more effectively.

Trauma is any experience that was beyond your ability to cope at the time, thus your entire system took note of that situation as "too much" and "must avoid at all costs", so that even when your capabilities change, your body's assumptions don't let you respond differently yet. This is a solvable problem! You can't just push through. Your body needs extra guidance to learn how to be okay now. Let's get that shit cleared out!

Issues of attachment show up when you find yourself frustrated in key relationships - whether with your partner, your own parents, children, or close friends. Identifying why your instinctive patterns aren't working for you, and taking steps to improve them, requires awareness of these factors and knowledge of where to go from there. That's where I come in!

I highly prioritize the equal value of all people, which means no one is more important or more valuable than anyone else. However, when experience has influenced your sense of self, you may struggle to life out that sense of worth. Therapy with me intentionally makes space to evaluate how you see yourself vs how you want to, so we can navigate a path forward together.

I highly prioritize the equal value of all people, which means no one is more important or more valuable than anyone else. However, when experience has influenced your sense of self, you may struggle to live out that sense of worth. Therapy with me intentionally makes space to evaluate how you see yourself vs how you want to, so we can navigate a path forward together.