Jerry Smith, LCSW, CSW

Jerry Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 38 years of experience. He uses a client-centered style and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people untangle stressful patterns and reach goals they set for themselves.

He focuses on everyday concerns like stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and addiction. He also helps with relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting and family problems, sleep and eating concerns, anger and self-esteem, and life transitions. His practice includes work on career issues and coping skills for ADHD.

Jerry has worked in a wide range of settings across Georgia. His background includes psychiatric hospitals, outpatient mental health and substance use programs, jails and penitentiaries, assisted living facilities, and foster-care support. He also spent twelve years as an adjunct professor of psychology, bringing teaching experience into clinical work.

In sessions he aims to meet people where they are and identify the things that keep them stuck. He uses practical exercises and homework to reinforce progress between meetings. Clients can expect straightforward conversation and concrete steps to try at home.

Jerry believes therapy is a collaboration. He helps people clarify goals, weigh options, and develop plans that feel doable. He combines problem-focused work with listening so clients can make steady, realistic changes.

How CBT and Client-Centered Work Online

CBT focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that get in the way of feeling better. Online sessions can use the same CBT tools - tracking thoughts, trying small behavior changes, and reviewing homework together - to address anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and addictive behaviors.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and responding to what each person needs. In an online format the therapist offers a supportive, nonjudgmental presence while helping clients name goals and decide next steps that fit their life.

Finding the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods, and adjust based on what helps most. That collaboration makes it easier to pick techniques that match a person's preferences and situation.

Online formats offer practical flexibility. Video calls are useful for face-to-face conversation and working through exercises. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth or camera use is limited. Live chat and text messaging allow brief check-ins, quick problem-solving, and steady support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, family, or caregiving schedules.