Susan Smith, Marriage Counselor in Lexington, 40509

Susan Grey Smith, PHD, LMFT

Profession(s):
Marriage & Family Therapy
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
LMFT

My Approach to Helping

During my training in family systems theory in the late 1980s (because I had a very good teacher), I had an epiphany--we are all connected to each other, to other beings in the natural world (animals, insects), and to the earth! The multi-disciplinary scientific literature, from child development to quantum mechanics, all agreed on one point--what we do ripples out and affects everything. The saying that if a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, the weather changes in Texas became a good metaphor for this social awakening. During this time we all began waking up to the fact that we create our own reality with our mind, collectively as a society and individually from the inside out. Our world paradigm began to change toward an understanding that we construct our social reality and away from belief in any worldly finite authority. Through the work of people like Michael White in the 1990s, an Australian therapist and a theoretical genius, we saw that since we write our own stories, we can readily change these stories toward a more positive narrative. This notion caught on socially, and now we see how everybody in the media is trying to influence us with their narrative "spin."

By the end of the 20th Century we began to see more clearly how each of us has all of the internal strength and resources (competency) we need to create a peaceful, loving mind and consequently peaceful, loving relationships. Since we are the first witness to what is in our mind, we do not need other people's "spin" (what therapists used to call "reframing") to create better outcomes for ourselves. Nobody else can judge that for us. The less caught up in thoughts and feelings we are (mindfulness) and the more in touch with reality we become (awareness) the clearer we get about what we need to do to most benefit ourselves and others.

That is a brief explanation of the evolutionary process of my thinking and why my theoretical approach today is systemic with a competency-based focus and a strong mindfulness awareness component. Mindfulness awareness therapy is a cutting edge approach to working with people that emphasizes being more present in the moment. I work with these understandings every day with my own caught up, negative energy, and I know that because I have been able to help myself be happier, these methods will help you do the same. I want to connect with you, listen closely to your voice and your concerns, and fit my work to your unique needs and those of the people you love. I see clearly that when we do the best thing, it is good for everybody.

As well as my therapeutic work, I have extensive experience working with the courts. My forensic psychotherapy practice allows me to conduct evaluations and report to attorneys and judges using my expert knowledge in child, adolescent, adult and family development, and in particular sexual identity development.

More Info About My Practice

I am a member of several insurance panels as a preferred provider. Please call your insurance mental health benefits administrator to find out if I am on your panel, what your co-pays and deductibles are, and if you need a prior authorization. If you want relationship therapy, find out if it is covered in your plan (marital therapy is not typically considered by insurance to be medically necessary). We honor their rules and will not bill insurance if it is not covered. Please bring your insurance card to your first visit and any authorizations you may need to have insurance pay for the visit.

I provide private pay (pay as you go) therapy sessions for $130.00 per hour and masters level therapists at Glencairn charge $65-80 per therapy hour. It is confidential and allows you and your therapist to have greater control over your treatment. Private pay therapy offers you more options including length of treatment, family members included in the therapy, and no labeling with diagnostic codes. For example, many insurance companies limit your number of sessions or refuse to pay for couple or family therapy and insist on a DSM diagnosis that may follow you.

Private pay therapy also allows you to have control over who has access to your treatment records. In today's world there are many types of data collected. Insurance companies, your employer, your financial institution, the government and many third parties (benefit administration sub-contractors, billing companies, etc.) that you don't even know exist can and do access your and your loved one's medical records. Private pay therapy provides the freedom and privacy you need and expect.

Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 6 pm and from 9 am to 12 noon on Friday. We are handicap accessible and located in Lexington, Kentucky off Man O' War Blvd. between Palumbo Drive and Todds Road in the East Point Office Complex.

Services I Provide

Individual Therapy & Counseling
Marriage, Couples, or Relationship Counseling
Family Therapy
Group Therapy
Consultation
Clinical Supervision
Other

Ages I Work With

Children
Teens
Adults
Elders

Languages I Speak

English

Groups I Work With

We have a specialty family therapy practice working with sexual abuse in all of its many forms. Since people in the same family can be victims, perpetrators, or both, and since they can range in age from very young children through adolescence and adulthood, every member of the family can be treated cohesively using our approach. We also work with false allegations of sexual abuse as well as victim and offender evaluations and treatment within the family, circuit and federal courts.