All About Alison

Hello!

Over my 17 year career helping women heal and grow, I’ve learned the best kind of therapy happens when there is trust and rapport between therapist and client. I use a trauma-informed approach which means you will show up to a non-labeling and non-threatening space. 

Headshot picture of Alison Smith therapist

A trauma-informed space creates the necessary conditions to safely explore factors that lead to your behavior and struggles as opposed to being quick to label or diagnose yourself.  With this model, ultimate growth and healing of your inner self is possible.  I work collaboratively to ensure that the modalities of healing we use are best suited for your learning style and goals. I believe you do the work, and I’m here to guide you with the knowledge and use of evidence-based techniques. 

The Me.She.We Approach

I’ve coined my approach Me.She.We to honor the growth and healing of the whole woman. So often in therapy, we target singular problems or behaviors without looking at the larger landscape of our life and the various roles we play. If we over-identify with certain roles, it can negatively affect our sense of balance. We have the ability to understand ourselves more fully when we zoom out and take in the big picture of every dimension of ourselves. By broadening our narrative to tend to all aspects of our lives (inner needs (Me), your experience as a woman in the world (She),and yourself in partnership with others (We), we can step into the fullest embodiment of who we are.

Alison Smith, MA, MFT Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

Education:

BA, Cornell University 1999
MA, Clinical Psychology
Pepperdine University 2002

Trainings:

EMDR Trained, EMDR Institute

Professional Affiliations:

CAMFT - California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists