Brian Smerdon, LMHC

Brian Smerdon is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with 11 years of professional experience. He focuses on practical, problem-solving work that helps people manage stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, and self-esteem concerns. Brian writes plainly and listens closely to each person's story to find what feels most useful to them.

He uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered methods, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic ideas to shape sessions. That means sessions often mix clear strategies with space to talk through feelings and patterns. Brian aims to translate insights into steps people can try between meetings.

Clients can expect straightforward tools for coping with life changes and loss. He also addresses issues such as abandonment, attachment concerns, caregiver stress, codependency, control struggles, and substance-related problems. The work can include short-term focus on a specific problem or longer conversations about deeper patterns.

Brian practices in Florida as an LMHC. He values collaboration and wants people to feel heard while also working toward concrete changes. His style is direct but compassionate, guiding people to test new ways of thinking and behaving.

When someone reaches out, Brian helps them map priorities and choose practical steps. He encourages small experiments that build confidence and reduce overwhelm over time.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Brian commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try small behavior changes. CBT gives concrete tools for anxiety, stress, and low mood and can be practiced between sessions to track progress.

He also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on active listening and understanding each person's perspective. That approach creates space to talk through emotions and feel heard while deciding on next steps.

Mindfulness Therapy is another element he brings into sessions to teach attention and grounding skills. These practices can reduce reactivity and help with grief, stress, and managing strong emotions.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work together. The therapist collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their needs and goals, and adjustments are made as progress is reviewed.

Online therapy offers practical benefits for this style of work. Video calls allow visual connection for skill demonstrations and emotional check-ins. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is low or a shorter conversation is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging let people check in between sessions, share quick updates, and keep momentum while juggling daily commitments.