Marlene Smith, LPC

Marlene Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in West Virginia who focuses on midlife concerns alongside stress, anxiety, relationships, self-esteem, and depression. She aims to make the first step feel doable and meets people where they are. Her style is steady and direct, helping people talk through immediate concerns and find practical ways forward.

She offers a calm space to share thoughts and feelings without judgment. Sessions typically center on identifying what feels most urgent, then trying small, manageable steps to reduce stress and improve daily coping. Many people work on communication habits, shifts in self-image, or the strain that life changes can create.

Marlene draws on approaches such as Attachment-Based Therapy to look at relationship patterns and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to challenge unhelpful thinking. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy ideas to keep the conversation focused on each person’s goals. These methods guide clear, action-oriented conversations rather than long lectures or vague advice.

With three years of LPC practice, she has supported people through transitions like divorce, aging concerns, adoption and foster care issues, and medical challenges such as cancer. She also addresses attachment issues, body image, and parenting-related stressors such as fatherhood issues.

Sessions are conducted in English and are arranged according to scheduling options. To begin, a prospective client would use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule based on availability.

How therapeutic approaches shape online work

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early patterns and current relationships affect how people connect and respond to stress. It can help those wanting to change how they relate to partners or family members by identifying patterns and trying different ways of responding. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on noticing thoughts that worsen mood and testing new thinking and behaviors to reduce anxiety and depression. It is often used for stress, low mood, and unhelpful habits.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist and client review goals, preferences, and what feels helpful in early sessions. Together they try methods that make sense for the person, adjusting the plan when something isn’t working so the work stays practical and focused.

If you are considering online therapy with this clinician, confirm the session formats available before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy day, reduce travel time, and allow check-ins during breaks or between obligations. Some approaches, such as CBT, adapt well to short skill-practice assignments between meetings, while Attachment-Based conversations can move at a pace set by the client. Ask about scheduling options when you start the matching process to find what fits your routine.