Cortney (Bota) Smith, LMHC

Cortney (Bota) Smith is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) who uses a practical, goal-focused style to help people manage stress and emotional struggles. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with client-centered and solution-focused methods to make therapy clear and usable. Cortney keeps language simple and sessions straightforward so parents can read quickly and decide if she feels like a fit.

She has 11 years of experience in mental health work. Much of that time was spent in community clinics offering in-person counseling to adults. In addition, she has seven years of experience providing online therapy, helping clients navigate life changes, mood issues, and co-occurring concerns.

Cortney helps people with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, bipolar symptoms, trauma and abuse, anger, addictions, grief, relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting stress, sleep problems, and career or self-esteem worries. She emphasizes collaboration and practical steps people can try between sessions.

Her training includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, plus 1,000 clinical internship hours across diverse placements. Cortney describes her work as meeting people where they are and supporting them as they make choices and changes.

Available appointment times are generally weekday mornings and early afternoons in Eastern Time, and she will try to accommodate evenings when possible. Prospective clients who prefer consistent evening or weekend hours may want to consider other scheduling options.

How Cortney’s Approaches Work Online

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, focuses on noticing unhelpful thought patterns and testing small behavior changes to reduce symptoms like anxiety, low mood, and sleep problems. Client-centered therapy centers the conversation on the person’s experience and preferences, helping people set their own goals and find what feels most useful.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Cortney will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs and goals. She often blends techniques so the plan matches what the person wants to try and what works in day-to-day life.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to give practical flexibility. Video calls let people use visual cues; phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging make it possible to check in between appointments or fit short sessions into a busy day.