Profile / United States
Willow Wakeley-Smith, LCSW
Missouri
LCSW helping adults with anxiety and parenting challenges
See online therapy options- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Mindfulness practice
- Goal focused work
About Willow
Willow Wakeley-Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Missouri with five years of clinical experience working directly with adults. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, parenting challenges, motivation struggles, depression, ADHD, and confidence concerns among other issues listed in her profile.
She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside client-centered and mindfulness approaches to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different responses. Sessions focus on practical steps and skills you can use between meetings. She aims to set clear goals and track whether strategies are producing real-life changes.
Willow has a background that includes more than ten years working professionally with children and experience in school settings. That work gave her additional context for parenting concerns and for supporting adults who are caring for children with disabilities. She describes her clinical work as focused on measurable progress rather than vague promises.
In sessions she uses evidence-informed techniques such as goal setting, thought restructuring, behavior planning, and mindfulness exercises. She also uses motivational interviewing and narrative therapy elements to help people explore values and stay engaged with change efforts.
Her areas of focus include mood disorders, trauma and abuse, addictions, sleep problems, obsessive and compulsive patterns, gender dysphoria, and issues related to adoption and foster care. People who want concrete strategies and regular check-ins about progress may find this style useful.
How Willow’s approaches translate to online sessions
Willow uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot thinking patterns that drive unhelpful behavior and then practice different responses. CBT sessions often include short experiments, behavior plans, and worksheets to try between meetings, which translate well to remote work. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person’s perspective and priorities, offering space to talk through concerns and set personal goals. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and grounding exercises to manage stress and improve sleep.Choosing the right approach is collaborative. Willow will discuss your goals and preferences, try strategies, and adjust methods based on what is helping. That process includes regular check-ins about progress and swapping techniques if something isn’t working for you.
The practical benefits of online work include fitting sessions into a busy schedule and reducing travel time so meetings are easier to keep. Confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online sessions can make it simpler to continue regular appointments, practice skills between meetings, and coordinate around work and family commitments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
Missouri
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, parenting challenges, depression, ADHD, bipolar, addictions, trauma, grief, sleep problems, low self-esteem, and related issues listed in her profile.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
CBT is used to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits and then try different behaviors and thinking patterns. Sessions include practical exercises and homework to test what works in daily life.
What is her clinical experience?
She has five years of clinical work with adults and more than ten years of professional experience working with children and in school settings.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Missouri and provides services from that state.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.