Meet Shennie Smith | Psychotherapist/LMFT

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shennie Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shennie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always loved supporting and helping others, and realized that it came naturally to me so why not start a business doing it! Since I was young, probably in my mid-teens, I have known I would open a private psychotherapy practice. When the time came, I felt like the 10+ years of thinking and dreaming and planning made it quite seamless, as I’d done my research and gone through all the steps in my mind multiple times.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Today, I am a psychotherapist in private practice, and I also work with psychedelic-assisted therapy at Lucid Therapeutics. I have always been interested in psychology and healing, but I have worn many hats on my road to getting to where I am now. I grew up in Norway, where I studied art, and when I moved to CA at age twenty I worked as a singer/performer and voice coach for about a decade as I was working on obtaining my masters in clinical psychology. In addition to this, I have spent significant time working as a nanny, interior designer and personal assistant. When I started my psychotherapy training, I focused on gaining experience with the LGBTQ+ community, trauma work and addiction/substance abuse. I believe that all of my experiences plus my training has helped shape the way I work with my clients and approach psychotherapy. In my practice, I incorporate art, music, creativity, positive psychology and trauma-informed approaches, and I place emphasis on the therapeutic relationship. The most important lesson I have learned along the way is probably that we are all searching for similar things; love, acceptance, belonging, kindness, understanding. And the longing for this will present itself in many ways, so showing empathy and compassion is invaluable.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting for a week, I would take her on multiple hikes around Santa Barbara – Rattlesnake, Cold Springs, Inspiration Point. Then we would spend time at Hendrys Beach, watching the sunset and grabbing dinner at the Boathouse. I’d take her to the Funk Zone to have a drink and a bite to eat, and possibly catch a show at Soho music venue. We would have to check out Oliver’s in Montecito and Rascal’s, both vegan restaurants, and eat sushi at Arigato. Good Lion is great for an after-dinner drink. I would also take her wine tasting in Los Olivos for the day, and end with a nice dinner in Solvang.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I learned a ton while working as an associate therapist at Pacific Pride Foundation in Santa Barbara. I am also still growing and expanding my knowledge as a psychedelic therapist at Lucid Therapeutics. I am very grateful for the support and kindness I have received along the way!

Website: www.shenniesmith.con

Instagram: Shenniemusic