Rodney "Rod" Smith , LPC

Rodney "Rod" Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in Missouri and Idaho who brings both clinical training and lived experience to his work. He has guided people through recovery from addictions and helped clients navigate relationship challenges, trauma and abuse, anxiety, and depression. By combining professional skills with personal insight, he aims to create a practical, relatable path toward lasting change.

Smith’s approach is informed by a long personal journey of spiritual and therapeutic growth that spans three decades and includes his own recovery from addiction, episodes of depression, and experiences of sexual abuse. That personal history informs an authentic counseling style grounded in honesty, empathy, and acceptance, which he uses to support clients as they find motivation to pursue meaningful change.

Professionally, Smith has extensive experience in behavioral health, including many years conducting evaluations, therapeutic interventions, and both individual and group therapy. He has spent seven years working as a mental health professional in a prison setting, providing individual and group treatment. In addition to clinical methods, he has training in Biblical guided counseling and offers that approach to clients who request it, tailoring work to each person’s needs and preferences.

Integrating Therapeutic Approaches in Online Care

Rodney "Rod" Smith uses client-centered therapy to create a supportive space where the person’s own goals and values guide the work - this approach emphasizes empathy, active listening, and collaboration to address relationship concerns, life transitions, and questions about meaning. He also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a practical, skills-focused method that helps people identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns commonly linked to depression, anxiety, and addiction. When appropriate, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques are incorporated to strengthen emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness for clients struggling with intense emotions or patterns of self-destructive behavior.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. Smith works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan over time as progress unfolds.

Online therapy with Smith can be delivered by video call, phone session, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These remote options make ongoing care more accessible for people managing busy lives, transportation limits, or other barriers, while allowing therapists and clients to maintain continuity of treatment across settings.