Kara Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) providing individual and couples therapy. She maintains a private practice in Houston, Texas, but is licensed in both Texas and Oklahoma.
Kara Smith was born and raised in Houston, Texas and has been in the mental health field since 2008. Kara earned her Masters in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work. While enjoying the social justice aspect of social work education, the clinical track offered her the opportunity to learn numerous therapeutic modalities with a focus on psychodynamic psychotherapy during her practicum at the Baylor Psychiatry Clinic.
Before entering private practice full-time in April of 2018, Kara spent 5 years at a non-profit community health agency and 3 years with Baylor College of Medicine at a few of the Harris County Hospital District's Community Behavioral Health Program clinics. These positions gave Kara a range of experience with different diagnoses, the opportunity to practice multiple treatment modalities, and the honor to work with a diverse population.
She began focusing her education and practice techniques on complex trauma and dissociation beginning in 2010. Through education and training gained through the Houston Galveston Institute, the International Society of the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, the EMDR Institute, and the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis, she gained the theory, knowledge, and practice to treat complex cases involving relational or attachment trauma, childhood abuse and neglect, and dissociative disorders.
Kara has training in Ego State Therapy (EST), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Hypnosis. Kara also utilizes mindfulness, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI) as adjuncts to treatment.
Kara spends her free time enjoying a good book, gardening, crafting, meditating, and spending time with loved ones (two and four legged). She adds adventure to her life by learning new hobbies, trying new things, and traveling.
Kara supports all sexual orientations, all gender identities and expressions, all races, all religious or non-religious affiliations, and all metaphysical orientations.
Kara is licensed in the state of Texas by The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, license number 53143. Kara is licensed in the state of Oklahoma by the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers, license number 8715.