- 22 years experience
- LMFT in California
- Veteran background
About Brett
Brett Smith is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 22 years of experience. He helps people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, low self esteem, depression, trauma, addiction, and relationship problems. He also supports concerns such as grief, sleep and eating issues, anger, career strain, and compassion fatigue.
Brett draws on his own experience as a combat veteran and a former law enforcement officer to understand trauma from both clinical and lived perspectives. That background guided his long-term focus on personality disorders and trauma symptoms, and it shapes how he listens and responds in sessions. His approach is direct and practical, aimed at helping people get unstuck and move toward a fuller life.
He primarily uses dialectical behavior therapy, with tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness work when helpful. He also integrates hypnotherapy and Jungian ideas when they suit a person’s goals. Sessions focus on concrete skills, clear feedback, and building everyday coping strategies.
Brett's bedside experience includes conducting emergency psychiatric assessments, which he says sharpened his diagnostic skills and ability to untangle complex cases. That experience informs a pragmatic style in routine care as well as in times of crisis.
Outside of therapy, Brett and his wife are avid sailors and outdoors people who enjoy backpacking, kayaking, and training dogs. He also shares educational videos on his YouTube channel that cover topics discussed in sessions.
Brett draws on his own experience as a combat veteran and a former law enforcement officer to understand trauma from both clinical and lived perspectives. That background guided his long-term focus on personality disorders and trauma symptoms, and it shapes how he listens and responds in sessions. His approach is direct and practical, aimed at helping people get unstuck and move toward a fuller life.
He primarily uses dialectical behavior therapy, with tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness work when helpful. He also integrates hypnotherapy and Jungian ideas when they suit a person’s goals. Sessions focus on concrete skills, clear feedback, and building everyday coping strategies.
Brett's bedside experience includes conducting emergency psychiatric assessments, which he says sharpened his diagnostic skills and ability to untangle complex cases. That experience informs a pragmatic style in routine care as well as in times of crisis.
Outside of therapy, Brett and his wife are avid sailors and outdoors people who enjoy backpacking, kayaking, and training dogs. He also shares educational videos on his YouTube channel that cover topics discussed in sessions.