Kelly Smith, RCC

By combining several modalities of therapy; including person centered therapy, solution focused therapy, crisis intervention, and trauma informed practice, Kelly works with you to discover methods and tools that resonate with you. Whether you’re thinking about starting a family, are pregnant, recently given birth, or are in the middle of your parenting journey, you deserve to birth and parent with confidence and joy.

**You may be experiencing:**

- Trying to start a family

- Fertility challenges, infertility, or fertility treatment

- Pregnancy (including high risk pregnancy)

- Postpartum and matrescence

- Postpartum anxiety or depression

- Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs)

- Birth trauma

- Perinatal grief and loss (including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, TFMR, still birth, neonatal, or infant loss)

- Parenting transitions or challenges

- Overwhelm, anxiety, and burnout

- Managing the mental load and balancing different roles

- Kinship or parenting your child’s child

- Navigating your relationship with your adult child

**You may be looking for support with:**

**Pre-pregnancy & Family Planning:**

A compassionate space for all of the anticipation, excitement, stress, anxiety, despair, or anger that you may be confronted with when all you want is to have a baby. ​Prepare emotionally, mentally, and physically for the journey ahead and address fears, anxieties, and expectations, while building the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and a positive transition into parenthood. The journey to pregnancy and parenthood is not always linear. In this space, you are safe and free to feel however it is you feel, process, and release the emotions and thoughts associated with pre-conception.

**Pregnancy and Postpartum:**

Navigate the physical and emotional changes that come with growing a human and receive support with anxiety, body changes, relationship dynamics, and the anticipation of welcoming your baby. Once Baby is here, be nurtured through the emotional, mental, and physical waves of your postpartum journey. Find your flow of adjusting to life with a newborn, heal from childbirth, meet your needs while tending to your baby, manage symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety, and obtain support that allows you to thrive.​​

​**Birth Story Sessions:**

Your story deserves to be heard. Birth is a life changing event. Whether your experience was magical, traumatic, or somewhere in the middle, in this 90 minute one-to-one session you will be able to share your truth in a safe and sacred space, allowing you to process, heal, and integrate your story. Debrief your birthing experience, identify and begin healing from birth trauma including unexpected outcomes, medical complications, and determine how this tremendous life transition fits into your life and identity.

**Parenting:**

Navigate the obstacles of each unique stage of raising children and learn to cope with stress, overwhelm, and exhaustion. Receive guidance and learn strategies for balancing new responsibilities, developing effective parenting techniques tailored to your family, and nurturing the well-being of you and your child. Address ways to keep your relationship with your partner healthy, strong, and intimate by implementing effective communication and parenting tools that work for your family, recognize the strengths each of you bring to your family, and work together as a team.​

**Non-Birthing Parents and Partners:**

Explore the emotional complexity of family planning and parenthood. In a judgement-free space, you will be able to address and process your feelings on your road to parenthood, including anxiety, excitement, or uncertainty of becoming a parent. In these sessions you will be able to process the emotional impact of adding a new family member on your relationship, family structure, and personal identity.

**Perinatal Grief and Loss:**

Miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal, and infant loss can be traumatizing, isolating, and increases the risk for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). No matter how "common" the loss is, it does not mean your baby did not matter or that losing them is not painful. You are more than a statistic and you have a right to supportive and sensitive care. Grief does not have a timeline, so no matter how recent or how long ago your loss, your emotions and experiences are valid and you do not need to bear it alone.

**Anxiety, Depression, Burn Out and General Mental Wellness:**

Receive warm, non-judgmental support as we navigate your stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout so you can build a path to a more balanced and peaceful life.​ In these sessions we will explore the circumstances that brought you to therapy and work together to process your emotions and experiences, identify practical coping and management strategies, and shape the future you envision.

**Kelly works with:**

- Adults of all genders and non-binary folks

- Parents and parents-to-be

- Non-birthing parents and partners

- Guardians and caregivers

- Couples focusing on their role as parents

Kelly was born and raised in the Tri-Cities and continues to call it home. She is constantly being humbled by two young boys and is in a continuous state of learning and growth. A homebody at heart, you can usually find Kelly exploring the trails and parks nearby or sipping tea with her nose in a book.

Kelly is a member in good standing with the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA #3654) and graduated from Rhodes Wellness College in 2014 with a Diploma in Professional Counselling and additional training in Perinatal Grief and Loss. Kelly also holds a BA with a joint major in Criminology and Psychology from Simon Fraser University. Kelly has extensive experience working with vulnerable populations including folks with disabilities, substance use and addictions, insecure housing, women and children fleeing domestic violence, and families with MCFD involvement.