You don’t have to find the path forward alone.
Meet Dr. Amy Smith, PhD, LMFT, CFLE
Online Therapy for Individuals and Couples in Colorado
“The first step in a difficult journey is always the hardest one to take”. -Charlie Daniels
Your life does not look the way that you imagined it would look.
Things feel hard, unfair and confusing. You feel alone and like no one quite understands what you are going through. You want to find meaning and connection in your life but you don’t know where to begin.
I Get It!
Hi - I’m Amy (she/hers)
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) with years of experience working with individuals and couples to help them find lives that bring meaning and connection, even when they do not follow the original plan.
I get that life is messy and sometimes it feels like the people around you just don’t get it. At the core of who I am as a therapist is a commitment to creating a space where you feel accepted, supported, and safe to be yourself without a fear of judgment or criticism.
This means that whoever you are, whatever experiences you have had, and whatever you are facing now, you are welcome here.
This also means that I customize my therapeutic approach to each client I work with. I recognize that no two people or journeys are the same. Therefore it doesn’t make sense that therapy would look the same for everyone. I have a wide range of training and experience that I use to customize therapy to your needs. This space is yours for healing and growth. I promise that I will always seek to understand you and to help you make the choices and next steps that are right for you.
Let’s work together towards healing and growth
My clients would describe me as a compassionate, down-to-earth, and skilled therapist. I am insightful, honest, and collaborative in my relationships with my clients. When you work with me, you will work towards understanding yourself and your needs for a happy and fulfilled life and gain actionable tools to help you change the patterns in your life that are not working.
I am an expert in the field as a researcher and author.
In addition to my work as a therapist, I am a researcher and have authored 17 academic publications, several governmental reports, as well as 15 presentations at national and international level professional conferences, and am a blogger for Psychology Today. My research focuses on healthy communication, parent/child and adult romantic relationships, and therapeutic processes, including training of new therapists, therapeutic techniques, and the importance of the relationship between therapist and client.
I teach what I practice.
I also teach at the undergraduate and graduate level at several universities including National University, Colorado State University, the University of Colorado Denver, the University of Denver, and the Community College of Aurora. Topics I teach include human development, grief and loss, healthy relationships, and providing supervision to marriage and family therapist (MFT) graduate students in their practicum/internships.
These skills help me provide you with the best, most effective service.
What this means for your experience as a client is that I have current knowledge and experience around cutting-edge research related to therapy and human development. I value continuous learning through regular training in evidence-based methods of therapy to provide my clients with therapy that actually works to create the changes they are hoping to see. I am also skilled in making concepts make sense. Learning new skills won’t feel like reading a self-help book because I will help break down the strategies and have them fit naturally into your life.
I’m also a human who has experienced life’s unexpected twists too.
Outside of training and credentials, I promise I am also a real person who knows that life is not always perfect. I have chosen to specialize in grief and loss and the big transitions in our life because I know what it feels like when life does not go according to plan, leaving us to feel we missed what could have been. From significant transitions in my professional journey to caregiving for multiple family members of different ages with chronic illnesses, to the loss of pets and loved ones, I can relate to how life can feel unfair and still be one with joy and fulfillment.
Grief & Loss
It’s okay that you are not okay. There is space for healing and learning to live with loss.
Life Transitions
Sometimes life throws us a curveball and we need some support to get back on track.
Couples Therapy
Relationships are rarely happily ever after but you can have the happy, healthy relationship you desire.
Therapy for New Therapists
Learning to be a therapist is hard. This is a space to support you as you learn the work of helping others heal.
I believe there is beauty in the brokenness.
Some of my favorite things are items that are a little bit broken. A free table on the side of the road that has lived in every home I have had since I was an undergraduate student. A quilt made for me by a close friend that does not line up quite perfectly since it was the second quilt she ever made. A rabbit cookie jar, with a broken ear, lovingly glued back on.
These items may not be perfect and show a little bit of damage or imperfection, but they are invaluable to me. I often even seek out the items that have a bit of imperfections to them, for instance a glass whale I bought in middle school, specifically chosen because of the dent in one side that made it not quite like all the other whales.
This is how I approach life and illustrates my approach to therapy. I believe that we can have a life full of meaning along with grief, that sorrow and joy can co-exist. If we work together, I will hold space for the brokenness, the imperfections, the pain while also partnering with you to rediscover the uniqueness, the meaning, and the bright parts of life, as well.
Training &
Experience
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Colorado
Certified Family Life Educator
AAMFT Approved Supervisor
PhD - Applied Developmental Science
MS - Human Development and Family Studies (specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy)
Education & Licensure
EMDR Basic Training
Gottman Couples Therapy Level I & II Training
Couples and Addiction Recovery through The Gottman Institute
TeleMental Health Training Certificate through Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC
PREP Relationship Education Trained Facilitator
Training & Certifications
Prepare/Enrich Trained Facilitator
Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist Course
Advanced ADHD Training Course
Guiding Principles
Focus on Seeing Your Strengths
I believe that every person has unique strengths and abilities that are the foundation for success. I look to find what is working in your life and build upon this help create change.
You are the Expert of You
Therapy is a space for you and is designed around what you need at this moment. I seek to know and understand you based on your unique experiences and identities.
Relationships are Important
This applies to the relationships in your life and how they influence your well being, as well as the relationship we build between therapist and client.
Quality of Care
I am committed to providing you with a positive experience including being responsive and customizing therapy to your needs. This includes providing you with referrals if I ever realize I am not the best fit for your needs
Balanced Compassion and Challenge
I strive to understand you and your experiences and to gently push you outside of your comfort zone and towards making the changes you want to see.
Evidence-Based Practice
I integrate the science of how our brains and bodies work and therapeutic modalities with proven effectiveness to help my clients make real, sustainable changes.