- Strengths-based
- Skill focused
- Trauma informed
About Alia
Alia Smith is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with 15 years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people facing addictions, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and major life changes. Her style is straightforward and respectful, aimed at helping people feel understood and find workable steps forward.
Alia believes each person knows their own story and brings strengths into therapy. She uses that knowledge as the starting point, and then helps clients build new skills and perspectives. Sessions are practical and goal-oriented, with attention to what is most pressing in a person's life.
Her approach draws on several evidence-informed methods including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She also integrates Motivational Interviewing and Client-Centered Therapy to support motivation and personal choice. These methods are used to address anxiety, depression, bipolar concerns, ADHD, and relationship stress among other issues.
Alia has worked across different settings over 15 years, helping people manage compulsive behaviors, navigate grief or abandonment wounds, and rebuild confidence after trauma. She often focuses on concrete skills for coping with panic, dissociation, and substance use challenges.
People who choose Alia can expect a collaborative process where the therapist helps identify goals, try practical tools, and adjust plans as needed. She invites clients to take courageous first steps and stays alongside them as they work toward clearer, more stable days.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts without getting stuck in them and then take actions that match their values. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and situations that feel overwhelming. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and teaches skills to change them; it is useful for panic, low mood, and many everyday struggles. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness to help people manage intense feelings and relationship stress.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try different strategies, and adjust based on what helps most. That process is collaborative and paced to fit individual needs and preferences.
The practical upside of online therapy is that it can fit more easily into busy schedules and make it simpler to keep regular appointments. Before booking, confirm which session options are currently offered. Online sessions can make it easier to attend from work breaks, reduce travel time, or allow shorter check-ins when life is hectic. Licensed professionals can still teach and practice skills effectively in remote sessions, and the focus stays on clear goals and usable tools.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Credentials
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She helps people facing addictions, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, bipolar concerns, ADHD, relationship strain, and major life changes among other issues.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is collaborative and practical. Sessions focus on identifying goals, trying concrete tools, and using a personcentered attitude to support change.
How much experience does she have?
She has 15 years of professional experience working in mental health and related settings.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, licensed in California.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to get started?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.