01 · Who Sharon works with

Sharon works with stress, Anxiety, intimacy-related issues and self esteem

Sharon lists 5 specialisms and 26 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Sharon chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Sharon's own words

What Sharon says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Hello! I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with 40+ years of experience working in the mental health field. The last 25 years I was practicing in an office setting and now I am offering the same services but in a virtual platform. I work with clients who have a wide range of issues and concerns, including depression, anxiety, adjustment concerns and phase-of-life transitions.

My therapy style is warm and inviting and my biggest wish is to help you feel welcome and safe and comfortable as you discuss your most private emotions. My approach is respectful and non-judgmental and my years of experience have helped me learn to listen effectively and offer brief solution focused therapy approaches as necessary.

I am aware of how hard it may be to reach out to discuss personal matters with a stranger but I assure you that I will help you to feel as comfortable as I can. If you are ready to make that step, please know that I am here to support and guide you.

Sharon Smith, on the BetterHelp listing · read 7 Nov 2026

03 · How Sharon works

The 2 approaches Sharon lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Sharon lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Sharon's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Sharon runs a session.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Sharon 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 Sharon's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   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 Sharon at this point.

2. Naming Sharon specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Sharon 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 Sharon.

3. If the caseload is full

   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.

4. The first conversation

   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.

5. If the fit is wrong

   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.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Sharon

Built from what Sharon actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Sharon's - Sharon has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 40 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LPC

Licensed in

South Carolina

Licence

SC LPC 0964

Licence number

0964

Licence expires

31 Aug 2027

NPI

1689654865

Years in practice

40

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

12 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Sharon'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 7 Nov 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 Sharon. 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.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.