Practitioner record · Checked 9 Oct 2026
Shannon Smith has been in practice 4 years and is licensed in New York. Shannon lists stress, Anxiety, family conflicts and self esteem among 21 subjects on the BetterHelp roster.
Everything below is either quoted from Shannon's own BetterHelp listing, taken from public licensing records, or written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such. Nothing here is an availability promise, a review, or a rating.
01 · Who Shannon works with
Shannon lists 5 specialisms and 16 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Shannon chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.
02 · In Shannon's own words
Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.
Hi, I'm so glad you're here. ?? I'm a Caribbean American therapist who believes healing should feel like being seen, not being studied. Think of me as your warm, wise, slightly nosy (in a caring way) guide through life's plot twists. What I help with Depression, anxiety, stress, and family drama that makes holiday dinners feel like a season finale. I also help with confidence, big life transitions, and that "wait, who am I now?" feeling. Your space, your pace My session is a judgment-free zone. Bring the social anxiety, the loneliness, the guilt that won't leave, the shame you've been carrying, and the days you can't stand the mirror. Nothing here will shock me, and all of it is welcome. Who I love working with Women and young adults on the road to self-love, better communication, and closer connections, starting with the one you have with yourself. I also work with attachment wounds, abandonment fears, caregiver burnout (yes, even the strong one who holds everyone together needs support), and the big questions about purpose and forgiveness. Why I might be your person I get the "both/and." Growing up between cultures means I know what it's like to carry pride, pressure, and family expectations all at once. You won't have to explain your background to me. I take you seriously, not stiffly. Therapy can be deep and still have room for a laugh. Sometimes the breakthrough comes right after the joke. I follow your lead. No cookie-cutter plan. We'll build this together, at a pace that feels right. I honor all of you. Your culture, your story, your family, and your identity aren't side notes. They're central to the work.
Shannon Smith, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026
03 · What happens next
Shannon practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Shannon's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.
BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Shannon at this point.
BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Shannon is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Shannon.
You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.
A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.
Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.
04 · Practical details
05 · Provenance
Shannon's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.
The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.
Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Shannon. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.
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