Therapists in New York

Contacting a therapist can feel awkward and scary. Be assured that your life will improve as a result of therapy. We can work at a pace you feel comfortable with. We all want freedom from our emotional pain. Worries or anxiety, anger or depression, insomnia, relationship conflict or traumatic memories may lead to escape & dependence upon food, substances, experiences and relationships for relief. Escape never leads to peace. Thankfully, we all can learn to find a dependable source of peace in our minds and hearts, no matter the external circumstances. I can help you get there. I have been a therapist for over 25 years.

Welcome! I'm Sonjia Smith, LMFT, a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist ready to empower you on your healing journey. With a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Long Island University Brooklyn, I specialize in helping individuals, couples, and families aged 13 and above.   If you're dealing with emotional reactivity, anger issues, or a history of intimate partner violence in your relationship, you're not alone. I provide a safe, supportive space to help you transform conflict into healthier, happier connections.

Building our trusting relationship is the surest way I know to reduce your anxiety, depression, and quiet those punishing parts of yourself that seem to threaten your confidence and safety. We work together to make room to experience yourself in new ways, to feel the ground under your feet. Our relationship opens pathways to your life to feel your better self. Doubt, fear and depression will be lessened. Relationships will evolve, and options will open. We will talk and challenge automatic thoughts. We will also use your bodily experience to bypass the loops of stories stored in your critical mind.

Now offering same day video and phone appointments

Have you been feeling overwhelmed lately? Are you feeling depressed, anxious, not sleeping well, or just not yourself ? Have you wanted to tackle some things that have been holding you back from achieving your full potential? Are there aspects of your past you may be avoiding? Are you wondering if you have addiction issues? Perhaps your family's history is something you need to discuss with someone?

With over two decades of experience in faith-based psychotherapy, mental health counseling and inpatient rehabilitation, I am uniquely competent integrating clinical expertise and Christian spirituality in a holistic approach to thoughts, emotions and behaviors. I specialize in sexual addiction breakthrough, substance abuse recovery, OCD treatment (ERP and ACT), trauma processing (EMDR), anxiety relief, relational connection, anger management, identity formation and faith/work/life/sex integration. I see couples and adult clients, and have other counselors (with lower fees) at my practice who work with adolescents and children.

Have you ever wondered whether in person or video therapy would work for you? I offer a complimentary phone consultation to discuss any questions you may have. I specialize in the treatment of anxiety, depression, crisis management, anger issues, couples, and family issues. I have extensive experience working with individuals and families using CBT, mindfulness, and family system interventions. I work to create a virtual safe haven where we can explore your challenges. In addition to seeing clients virtually at Greenwich Psychology Group, I am a virtual professor and clinical supervisor at New York University.

I maintain a small trauma-informed practice. I value kindness, directness, and work in an interactive manner. Aside from "talk therapy," we find entry to your autonomic nervous system that can quickly trigger emotions. These patterns often interrupt your desired relational functioning. My experience includes Private Practice, NIP's, NYC Trauma clinic, 4+ yrs in a psychiatric hospital, the VA's PTSD unit, and working in the business arena. I am a graduate of NIP Trauma program, certified in EMDR & CPT for trauma/anxiety, have training in the fields of ACT, IFS, DBT/CPT and CE body therapies as well as psychoanalytic training.

At times, it can feel challenging to navigate growth and change on your own. I'd like to help you find clarity and relief. I see therapy as a collaborative space to increase self-understanding, practice healthy communication, and build self-compassion. In session, I lead with warmth and curiosity and love to connect with my patients through humor. Together, we can work to observe and deepen awareness of thought patterns and emotional experiences. Through this practice of self-reflection, we'll harness your strengths and bring new perspective to unhelpful thoughts, difficult or uncomfortable emotions, and unhealthy behaviors.

Rooted in empirically proven models, my style is warm, creative, open and curious. I am an LGBTQ+ affirming and BIPOC allied therapist. I work primarily with individuals.

I am a clinician in both Connecticut and New York. I had extensive clinical experience working as a court appointed Guardian ad Litem, previously working in Therapeutic Foster Care and as a Psychotherapist. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Political Science from Central Connecticut State University and earned my Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Saint Joseph. I have worked in various professional settings through direct practice and in social advocacy. I have worked alongside state non-profits in child welfare, as well as school base counseling and outpatient clinics.

I am currently providing in-person and video sessions for individual therapy and couples work. My therapeutic approach is focused on making room for feelings of relief, self-acceptance, and a sense of inner calm. My clients arrive to therapy because of a tension between their external life feels outs of alignment their inner desires. Or, their relationships a source of pain for them, leaving them feeling stuck, like they are just replaying the same patterns over and over again. My clients have curiosity about their own roles in their dynamics in family relationships, romantic relationships, and friendships.

I strive to cultivate a brave therapeutic space with my clients, one that is non-judgmental, curious, and encourages vulnerability. Whether you are an individual, a couple, or a family, I can help you find a better understanding of yourself and the challenges you face. As you gain insight into your thoughts, feelings and behaviors, you'll be mobilized towards reaching your goals. I'll be there for compassionate support to connect you to your inner self, strengthen your relationships and make positive change.

As an active therapist, I help individuals, couples, families, and children identify and transform the story that has been governing their life. It is my belief, that with the right support everyone has the innate capability to show up and transform their life. Past or present circumstances may have created pain or a belief of powerlessness, but these circumstances do not define you. You can reclaim your power and sense of authorship over your own life. In the words of Marianne Wiliamson, " Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."

Life can be challenging. And our friends/ family may try to help, yet their well intentions cannot provide the effective skills to help ward off suffering and regulate emotions. Whether therapy seems frightening or it's familiar to you, the clarity and tools gained in this process are worth it! Reach out & let us help you transform suffering into love. You'll experience improvement in your relationships and in your overall wellbeing! Please know that speaking with a stranger to work through intimate issues is a profound act of faith, courage and, hope.

“Close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives”. This is according to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest study ever done on adult life. When insecurity, anxiety, and disappointment leave us feeling small, disconnected, and alone, our capacity for joy drops and our physical and mental health declines. My clients move to a position of empowerment where unhelpful reactive patterns are addressed and intentionality and security are cultivated. I am passionate in helping my clients live the authentic, abundant, and successful lives they deserve.

Footprints was started by a therapist who realized that often times the services provided to low socio-economic communities is lacking quality care. We noticed these communities were confronted with long wait times, disrespectful admins, and subpar treatment. The one and only purpose was to exploit the community for profit without providing the level of care deserved. Feel Better Therapy began from the inspiration to provide quality mental health care to the poorest of communities and treating the clients of this community the same way a rich patient would be treated in a clinic treating affluent clients.

In order to shift anything, one must reach, with a gentle touch, the parts of ourselves that are able to transform. It’s only human to want to heal in order to function at our optimal capacity, whatever that might be for us. I passionately hold that we could all use a way to slow down our rapidly evolving lives—a way to hold space for what drives us forward, or slows us down in ways we’d like to speed up. Therapy is a space to peel back layers to help you move toward being fully expressed, in steady, easy participation with your life—even with its inevitable ups and downs and the in-between spaces.

Welcome! I’m glad your journey has brought you here today. Do you feel like you’re hiding the real you? Do you worry that you make decisions based more on other people’s approval rather than your own sense of truth? Do you feel disconnected from yourself and your relationships? Do you desire to live your most authentic life? Maybe you don’t know what it looks like. You might even feel afraid to find out. Life can feel scary at times. And sometimes we face moments that overwhelm us, that cause us to shut down and disconnect.