About Arianna

Hey! It’s Arianna Smith here. (she/her)

I’m an IFS Level 2 Certified Therapist & EMDR Clinician

Also: a queer, HSP/neurodivergent witch with too many books + tarot decks*

*pssst, no such thing

**First off, there is nothing wrong with you, okay?**

Nor are you broken, “too much”, “too sensitive” – or any other combination of demeaning things someone may have said to you (or you have said to yourself).

100% of you is invited to show up in the room.

I’ll make you tea, invite you to take off your shoes, and cozy up on the couch under a blanket if you want.

I welcome humor + laughter as a way to bring levity and insight to difficult feelings and situations. But never at your expense.

Being raised in rural Alaska, I’m nowhere near prim and proper, and you don’t have to be either.

If you want a therapist who can roll with your sarcasm and f-bombs, I’m your gal.

I work from a weight-neutral, anti-diet approach. Your worth and value have absolutely no relation to your size, weight, or body type.

I’m sex-positive, kink-friendly, and poly-affirming. Although I’m not an expert in these areas, I’ll welcome these topics into the room. If I sense you may need a specialist in these areas, I’ll refer you to a trusted colleague with your permission.

How Therapy Works

One of the main roadmaps I use is called Internal Family Systems (IFS). People are made up of parts, with every part important to know and welcome into the room. Yes, even the frustrating, shameful, or destructive ones have a place in my office.

I trust that everything you (or parts of you) do has a purpose and a good intention, even if the impact is harmful. With compassionate digging, I’ve found even the most difficult feelings or thoughts make sense within the context of your life or history.

If you’ve seen the Pixar movie “Inside Out”, you’ve already gotten a sneak peek of Internal Family Systems. If you’re curious, check out this clip from the movie.

Additionally, I weave EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) into our work together. EMDR is a memory-based approach that helps get icky, traumatic, or nagging thoughts or feelings to become less overwhelming and distressing. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (either tapping, tones, or eye movements) to help unpleasant memories become unstuck. (Yup, we can do this online!)

I lean heavily on Attachment Theory. Attachment theory is great for understanding why you might pick the same (terrible) partner over and over, why you panic when your partner doesn’t text you back immediately, or why you push people away despite feeling lonely. It’s also why you feel like sabotaging your relationship — even when you’re in a healthy one.

Education, Credentials & Relevant Training

MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Adams State University
Licensed Professional Counselor #0019363
EMDRIA Approved EMDR Basic Training (20 hours, 2017-2018)
Queering Therapy: Clinical Relevant Themes + Better Practice Guidelines (6 hours)
Treating Complex Trauma with Internal Family Systems (2 days)
IFS Level 1 Training (108 hours, 2019-2020)
Working with Challenging Protectors and Critics with Chris Burris, LPC (6 hr Advanced IFS training, 2021)
At The Crossroads of Trauma Therapy: Integrating EMDR, Structural Dissociation, Attachment Repair & Parts Work (4 days, 2021)
The Anti-Oppressive Therapist Program + Mentorship w/ Atiq Shomar (12 hours, 2022)
IFS Level 2 Training – A Compassionate Approach to Addictive
Processes: IFS, Addictions, and Eating Disorders (5 days, 2023)

What’s Next?

If you’re curious about working together, let’s chat.