Andrea John-Smith, MA, LMHCA (she/her)

Inner Guide Counseling is my private psychotherapy practice for people wrestling with the unique challenges of midlife-- i.e., new body, new brain, peri/menopause, transitions, adult children, health crises, isolation, death and dying, grief and loss -- and wanting a life that reflects who they are.

What if you didn't have to spend your energy white-knuckling it just to cope? What if you could convert pain into clarity and energy for what matters most right now in your life? 

My non-pathologizing, integrative approach is active and collaborative. I listen deeply, reflect back, offer language, tools, and questions to help you discern what needs tending. Sessions are playful and impactful. 

My philosophy of change is founded on the notion of inner guiding intelligence or wise self. Whatever you call your internal compass, you may feel estranged from it. Healing that estrangement, we get to the root of suffering and clear the way for your creative and generative inspiration. 

I draw on a variety of research-validated tools and lived experience based in mindfulness practice, trauma-informed care, and neuroscience, including: Acceptance Commitment Therapy,  Internal Family Systems, Emotionally Focused Therapy, the Gottman Method, Hakomi, Gestalt, Transpersonal Therapy, Thanatology, grief work, care for the maturing brain, ancestral healing, psychedelic integration, drama therapy, creative arts therapy, breath work, and nature-based therapeutic practices.