BRITTANY SMITH, LSW

Brittany Smith (pronouns: she/they) is a licensed social worker who works with adolescents, adults, and families. Her special interests include girls’ and women’s issues, LGBTQ+ issues, trauma, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, and communication and conflict resolution. She uses eclectic therapeutic interventions that are evidence-based, humanistic, somatic, person-centered, culturally competent, and trauma informed.

Brittany earned her bachelor’s degrees at Cleveland State University in psychology and anthropology. She spent her time studying diagnoses such as dissociative identity disorder, and borderline personality disorder, as well as cultural and linguistic anthropology. She completed her master’s degree in social work at Ohio State University, specializing in mental health and substance abuse. At Ohio State University, she spent her time specializing in severe and persistent mental health diagnoses, (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), substance use disorders and trauma informed cared with individuals who have experienced human trafficking, LGBTQ+ individuals, and the immigrant/refugee community. Brittany has a strong love of lifetime learning, with a special interest in Thanatology and end-of-life social work.

Prior to Wellness Grove, Brittany spent her time in community mental health and psychiatric hospitalization mental health care, serving as a therapist for adults in residential programming with severe and persistent mental illness, providing support and stabilization to adolescents during inpatient psychiatric hospitalization and as a clinical therapist for adolescents in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. Brittany has developed and facilitated support groups and programming for the LGBTQ+ community and specialized in group therapy with adults and adolescents.

Brittany’s approach to counseling is person-centered, humanistic, culturally competent, and trauma informed. She prioritizes rapport-building, psychoeducation, advocacy, and empowerment by providing a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to develop personal goals, identify strengths, and feel supported. Brittany also believes in a holistic approach that involves the use of somatic, evidence-based interventions to heal the body, mind, and spirit. She believes in a collaborative therapeutic relationship that is based on mutual respect, authenticity, communication, and trust. Brittany’s approach to counseling at its core is tailored to each client and empowers clients to advocate for themselves and believe that they are able to create their desired path.

Her strengths include: humor, empathy, creativity, love of learning, compassion, self-awareness, critical thinking, adaptability, resilience, collaboration, problem solving, and facilitating empowerment.