About me
Welcome! I truly am happy you are reaching out. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our life challenges would communicate with a Global Pandemic and find a middle ground instead of yelling louder than the others to be heard?! Well, as we are still figuring that one out, I look forward to being here for you and helping you with concepts such as communicating effectively or changing your mindset since we cannot change the mindset of COVID-19!
Challenging is one word that comes to mind when thinking about navigating through adolescence and the teenage years. Being in the 21st century, teens today experience challenges with the ever-growing social media, increasing availability of illegal substances, and typical social and family conflict. Many parents and other adults struggle to recognize where their teen is emotionally, physically, spiritually, and overall capability. Everyone’s view of being “able and willing” are different, and with that difference comes an intense amount of conflict.
Maybe you feel unheard, taken advantage of, abused, hurt or lonely. No matter if you are here voluntarily or you were voluntold to participate in therapy, I am here to support you either way. Since 2006 I have been working with youth and young adults in multiple settings including residential, school-based, foster care, outpatient, and home-based. I have addressed many symptoms, thoughts, behaviors, and mood changes in teens that seem to make life a bit challenging. I work hard to make sure you feel comfortable to share what is on your mind and heart without fear of being “exposed, sent away, or making it worse”. My intention is that I am fully transparent in my work with you. I want you to feel comfortable expressing what is on your mind, knowing I will assess for true risk of harm to yourself of others or passive thoughts due to the complications of life which is something that can be addressed with a safety plan, and I will do everything I can in my power to keep you safe.
I strongly believe that the things you are challenged with are not just about you! Family, no matter who you call your family, has a significant impact on how you are able to cope with changes to your mental health. I will encourage you to allow your family to engage in your treatment and healing when you are ready, and not before! As social beings, we need to feel as though we are not alone. I am here to listen to you. I will challenge your thinking patterns and encourage you to reframe negative thoughts into strengths. As a teenager, it is important to know that you are important, you are necessary, you have a purpose, and you are loved.
As COVID and isolation restrictions are still changing throughout the world, I know access to mental health services are almost more important than ever. I work extremely hard to offer you a schedule that works for you. I will be working T-W-R-Sa. My start times and end times vary between 9am-10pm EDT/EST, and my typical response times to unscheduled messages are between 24-72 hours. If you ever need a specific schedule due to your time zone or work needs, please know that I will make every effort to meet those for you.
About Loretta:
Loretta Graduated from Ball State University in 2008 with a bachelor’s in Family and Child Development and a minor in social work. Loretta went on to teach and develop parenting curriculum's as well as lesson plans for toddlers and preschoolers at the university child center. Loretta continued her family and child work into foster care settings. Loretta went on to receive her Master’s in Social Work from IUPUI in 2015 and began providing services to teens, children, and families in schools. Loretta's most recent role outside the home was as a therapist and team leader for adults, children, addictions, and Serious Mentally Ill (SMI) populations. Loretta is married with 2 children and a dog. Her family enjoys traveling, water sports like sailing and surfing, and in general being in the sun.
Specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Trauma, Abuse
- Grief
- Depression
Addictions , LGBT , Relationship issues , Intimacy-related issues , Parenting issues , Anger management , Self esteem , Bipolar disorder , Coping with life changes , Compassion fatigue , ADHD , Abandonment , Adoption and Foster Care , Read more...
Clinical approaches:
Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
Years of Experience: 5
Services offered
Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video
Licensing
IN LCSW 34008437A
Reviews
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Loretta Smith. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with Teen Counseling might be different.
I have worked with Loretta since January 2020 and I am so grateful for everything she helped me work through over the last three years. I highly recommend her as a therapist. She is kind, a great listener, and extremely patient.
Loretta is very thorough and takes the time to help me process every little detail.
Loretta is a very professional therapist and a wonderful mentor - she not only provides me with different perspectives in seeing things in life but also always patient in supporting me through the thick and thin. I really appreciate being paired with her since the beginning and further appreciate the opportunity right now being able to continue working with her.
Loretta is a very professional, compassionate counselor. Loretta practices in a way that motivates you to work through your life and history with her guidance. She utilizes just the right questions and prompts to lead you to the realization you need to have, which is much more effective than just her telling you how to proceed. My life has took a huge turn in the right direction because of Loretta. I look forward to our sessions each week because they are meaningful and vital to my routine. She has a ton of experience in many different fields, so I always know she’ll give me great guidance no matter what issue I bring up. I am confident in saying Loretta can improve anyone’s life through her sessions, and I hope you will trust my judgement based on the last year I’ve been working with her and have the same experience I had.
Lorretta really listens well and gives a lot of help to solve things that may be causing you anxiety and depression. I would definitely recommend her to anyone needing her services. She has a lot of knowledge in her field and offers great advice.
Loretta is amazing. She listens without judging, and helps me process things and open up in a way I have trouble doing on my own.
Loretta is kind and attentive. She's so helpful with problem solving, or just listening while I rant. I feel very fortunate to have her as my counsellor, and look forward to our calls.
I really appreciate how Loretta listens to me. She's knowledgeable of neuro-divergant and ADD personalities.
Loretta listens. Really really listens to what I have to say. She’s helped me develop in such a short amount of time when I felt like I had tried everything. She offers targeted specific therapies in all varieties to promote wellness and allow for proper awareness.
The only counselor I've ever had that I feel actually hears me, and give me small goals to work towards.
Loretta is very generous with her time and is very understanding and encouraging. She’s able to pick up what the issue and need is and offers practical advice and resources such as recommendations of books and articles to help you. She’s great and I highly recommend her!
I feel very comfortable with Loretta and have only had two sessions with her. This is my first time having therapy as well so she is very personable. She has sent me a few worksheets that have been very helpful and supportive. I appreciate that she also shares about herself and makes it feel like a conversation rather than just her listening to me and I get to know her on a deeper level as well.
Loretta is amazing!! So compassionate and really helps me think through my negative thought processes. Down to earth and professional!
When I started sessions with Loretta, I was concerned about her psych experience and her treatment, then I was scared and worried that she might understand the wrong way, but she changed everything, she changed me, changed my way of doing and saying everything, she has that cutie vibe to her, and she also understands how a teenager feels being a modern parent
I love Loretta and I wish her all the very best.
❤️
Ms. Smith’s approach is welcoming and friendly. She is a great note taker making it very easy to revisit historical conversations. She listens well and provides thoughtful insights. I feel that much of the work of counseling is self-realization and as we talk through issues and feelings and I get to an “ah-ha moment”, I know I got there by her guidance. I’m very pleased with my experience.
I love that Loretta Smith is compassionate. She listens and thoughtfully responds. She gives actionable advice on how to deal with challenges. I would recommend her to anyone who needs a counselor.
Very good and easy to talk to
Loretta has been incredible at helping me cope with some major life changes over the past few months. I'm so grateful for her guidance and calm presence during this wild time!
Loretta is the best!
Loretta is the best. She always has time to help me.
I've only just started working with Loretta, and we have had 2 face to face video sessions plus messages. But in that short time she has given me so much confidence to open up, allowed me to feel heard, and given me space to crystallize my thoughts. She has so much empathy, and asks questions that challenge me but in a good way. She's great!
Loretta is the first person I have talked to since the loss of my son that actually listens and finds ways to support and help me through this. I am so thankful for her experience, concern, advice, and knowledge.
Loretta Smith really makes you feel comfortable, I felt like I have been able to open up to her within my own time, she has been very patient and understanding and I would strongly recommend her!
I've not had enough time to build a strong enough rapport yet, but in the short time I've been talking with Loretta, she has been professional, kind, thorough and accommodating. I look forward to working further with her.
Loretta has managed to turn my life around in this month. She has helped me to better become the person I want to be. We have a long journey ahead of us, but I am confident Loretta will help me to get what I need and gather the tools for my future. She is an asset I cannot even begin fully explain.
Hi, in our limited experience together I found her to be accessible, supportive professional and helpful. My particular case is a bit complicated legally (and in french!) but the reasons for not wanting to continue are situational versus reflective of this excellent service. I wish I had known about 6 months ago when I was isolated and thought I was losing my mind. Strongly recommend both Loretta and teencounseling.com.
Loretta has been amazing. It feels great to just be able to communicate with someone who is so understanding. I always look forward to hearing back from her as the responses are just what I need at times. Highly recommend
Loretta has been amazing in the couple of weeks since we started talking! She's able to get to the heart of the matter and help me pinpoint the exact things I need to work on to get healthy. She's great at offering links to resources and sending me helpful worksheets to get me thinking. With the tools she's given me, I already feel like I'm starting to heal!
I am so grateful for Loretta! With each session, I feel so much better about the next steps for recovering WELL.
She is wonderful