Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Smith.
Katherine, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I came to the field of clinical psychology after ten years of working as a Human Resources consultant in healthcare and tech start-ups. After a few years of “finding myself” I enrolled in the Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology program at Antioch University Los Angeles where I specialized in Spiritual and Depth Psychology. After I graduated, I decided to pursue my doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. My dissertation was a qualitative phenomenological study of the clinician experience of treating suicidal patients and I continue to specialize in working with people who suffer from suicidal ideation and chronic depression.
I have trained in a variety of modalities and settings, including LGBTQ+ affirmative psychology at the LA LGBT Center and Angeles Psychology Group, neuropsychology at Cedars-Sinai, and psychoanalytic psychotherapy at Wright Institute Los Angeles. As a result of my education and training, my clinical approach is broadly psychodynamic with a soupçon of depth and relational psychoanalysis.
In my experience, to be a psychotherapist is a vocation—something to which one is called—and, to paraphrase Jung, I am deeply privileged to witness people’s souls through my work. In late 2019, I opened my private practice in Beverly Hills where I work with adult individuals, couples, and groups using an integrative approach to trauma recovery, relationship issues, and neurodiversity. I also teach at Antioch University Los Angeles and Wright Institute Los Angeles.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Adapting to COVID-19 quarantine (practically overnight!) in March 2020 was a challenge for my growing practice. Luckily, I had significant previous experience providing teletherapy, but transitioning my entire practice wasn’t easy. It has made me very aware of the limitations of technology and the impact of prolonged screen time. But it also wasn’t more of a challenge for me than for anyone else who had to adapt to working from home and, in some ways, it’s a strange thing for therapists to be experiencing the same things as their patients at the same time! It puts our shared humanity into the forefront of the therapeutic relationship, which can have tremendous benefits for the work of psychotherapy.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about TherapySmith – what should we know?
TherapySmith is my private practice. It’s a play on my last name and the practicing of “smithing” — the idea is that together, my patients and I forge a therapy that is unique to them. I facilitate this process using principles and techniques from depth, relational, and psychoanalytic psychotherapy traditions that prioritize the individual’s lived experiences and also challenge assumptions.
Like many therapists, I work with adult individuals, couples, and groups. I’m not like other therapists because I don’t claim to have the answers — I like to think that I have better questions! That’s an important difference because the most effective therapies empower people toward their own insights and changes.
My sense of humor surprises people that work with me. Generally, people assume that therapists are not reactive, but my relational approach means that I bring some of humanity into the therapy relationship.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’ve been very fortunate to have had a supportive community of family, therapists, teachers, clinical supervisors, and colleagues since the beginning of my career. The most important help I receive in building my business comes from colleagues who refer, offer practical advice about the business of therapy, and offer a sympathetic ear.
Pricing:
- Individuals: $200, 50-minute session
- Couples: $250, 50-minute session
- Groups: $50, 80-minute session
Contact Info:
- Address: 420 S. Beverly Drive #100-17B
Beverly Hills, CA 90212 - Website: therapysmith.com
- Phone: 323-943-1978
- Email: [email protected]
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