Dr. Karyn Smith

Dr. Karyn Smith is a Minnesota psychologist with 25 years of clinical experience. She uses a warm, interactive style and aims to create a respectful, compassionate space for people who are anxious, depressed, coping with trauma, or wrestling with relationship and parenting concerns. Dr. Smith holds the credential MN Psychologist 6271 and works from a practical, conversational approach.

Her work often combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and elements of the Gottman Method. She adapts sessions to each person, focusing on what will help most in day-to-day life. That can mean skill-building, changing unhelpful patterns, or rethinking goals and values.

Dr. Smith has supported people dealing with addictions, grief, eating and sleeping problems, ADHD, and life transitions. She also addresses issues connected to aging, caregiver stress, autism and Asperger Syndrome, attachment questions, and gender dysphoria. Her background includes many years helping people who survived neglect, physical or sexual trauma, and emotional abuse.

Sessions tend to be conversational and practical. She listens closely, offers gentle challenge when helpful, and works with each person to shape a plan that fits their situation. Many clients find concrete tools and clearer choices from this mix of approaches.

If someone is ready to begin, the therapist encourages a first step of choosing what feels manageable. Dr. Smith guides scheduling and the early planning so people can move toward steady, realistic progress.

How core approaches guide online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and take small steps toward those values, while learning to live with difficult thoughts and feelings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and replacing them with more effective patterns to reduce anxiety, depression, and problematic habits. Client-Centered Therapy centers the person in the room, using empathic listening and support to help people find their own solutions and build confidence.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, past efforts, and preferences, and then recommend ways of working together. That plan can change as progress is made and new needs appear.

Confirm the specific online session options when booking, as formats are not listed here. Online work can make regular sessions easier to fit into a routine, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It can also let people use video or phone depending on what feels most comfortable, which can help with managing energy, bandwidth, or the need for a brief appointment during a busy day.