Shanua Smith , LPC-MH

Shanua Smith is a licensed therapist practicing in South Dakota with 19 years of experience helping people work through complex emotional challenges. She holds the LPC-MH credential, which denotes a Licensed Professional Counselor with a focus on mental health, and uses that training to guide clients through concerns such as depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, and major life transitions.

Her work emphasizes a compassionate, non-judgmental approach where individuals are invited to explore their inner lives and develop practical strategies for healing. She blends a holistic perspective with evidence-based techniques to address matters like self-love, communication barriers, social anxiety, grief, and ongoing personal growth.

Shanua centers her practice on empowerment and resilience building, helping clients make sense of their experiences and establish healthier emotional patterns. Whether addressing workplace stress, relationship tensions, or the pursuit of deeper self-understanding, she offers steady professional support and empathetic collaboration designed to help each person move forward at their own pace.

Therapeutic Approaches Adapted for Online Care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating an empathic, non-judgmental space where the therapist follows the client's lead to explore feelings and goals. It is often used for improving self-understanding, strengthening self-worth, and navigating relationship or life transition issues.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps people identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It is practical and goal-oriented, and it is commonly used for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with everyday challenges.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, known as EMDR, is a trauma-focused approach that helps people process distressing memories and reduce their emotional intensity. It is often recommended for those who are working through past traumatic experiences.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Shanua works with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies over time as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexibility by allowing sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, access care from home, and maintain continuity of support even when circumstances change. Licensed professionals can deliver many of the same therapeutic techniques through these formats, and therapists tailor the experience to what works best for each client.