EMPOWERED

MIND

THERAPY

EXPERT CARE + LIVED EXPERIENCE

Guiding You Toward Growth, Connection & Healing

With over 15 years of clinical experience helping adolescents/teens, adults, parents and couples — we walk alongside you, offering support, understanding, and encouragement every step of the way.

Healing through trauma and/or navigating life stressors can be so hard. But you don’t need to go through these struggles alone.

Whether you’re ready to heal old wounds, get un-stuck, or need help navigating life’s inevitable downs. We’re here to support you.

Our Approach.

Evidence-Based Treatment

Holistic + Integrative

Personalized Care

Strengths-Based

Collaborative

Our Services.

  • We provide individual therapy for adolescents/teens, young adults and adults. We specialize in working with adults who are trauma survivors, mothers/parents, individuals impacted by chronic illness and those navigating identity stress.

  • We specialize in couples therapy for parents or family building, couples in which one or both partners are trauma survivors/attachment difficulties, couples impacted by chronic illness, and couples navigating interracial relationships or cultural differences. Read more about our couple’s services here.

  • We provide services to families who are seeking to collectively heal from trauma. We see parents and their children or siblings.

  • We will be running 4 groups starting summer of 2025:

    BIPOC Moms Group

    Adult Children to Emotionally Immature and/or Abusive Parents

    Teen College Readiness Group

    Women’s Modern Dating Group

  • We provide clinical supervision for students/trainees looking to improve their clinical skills particularly in treating trauma clients, integrative work and adolescent/teen concerns.

  • We provide consultation to schools and organizations needing help with diversity concerns (BIPOC stress & concerns) and navigating traumatic events.

Sometimes all you need is someone to show you that the answers have been in you all along. To have support in decoding and unlocking your fullest potential.

It’s time to have more out of life than just average.

The unfortunate truth is that most people are too scared, too overwhelmed or too comfortable to take the actionable steps to get what they desire. To put in the work and effort to get that change. So instead they just suffer and say things like “this always happens to me,” “Why bother; whatever happens happens.” The Eeyore’s of the world (we all know and love one). But you’re not the Eeyore type (or no longer want to be) and things don’t just happen to you. You make things happen in your life. And you’re ready to make that change for yourself, your child, your family or your relationship.

You are not a product of your circumstances. You are a product of your decisions.

And you’ve decided to take the next step. To tap into your inner strength and use those strengths to nourish your weaknesses, allowing you to flourish and be your best self. To feel capable no matter what’s thrown your way. To feel fulfilled. Content. At peace. Empowered.

We can get there….together.

A Note from Our Founder.

Hello there. I’m Dr. Shaneze Gayle Smith, Ph.D.

At Empowered Mind, we use the power of our therapeutic relationship as well as evidence-based strategies from neuroscience, mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral practices and lifestyle medicine to foster growth and inner healing. Our clinicians have made it our mission to pursue training in different modalities so that we can tailor treatment to fit your particular needs. You are unique. Your challenges are unique. Your treatment should be too.

We believe the most meaningful healing and growth happens when you feel truly seen, understood, and supported by someone who gets it. Our team isn’t just trained in trauma, we are trauma survivors—we’ve done the work ourselves. We know what it’s like to navigate pain, uncertainty, and transformation, and we’ve made it to the other side. We bring both professional expertise with extensive training and lived experience to this practice. This blend of empathy and clinical skill allows us to hold space for your story without judgment, connect with you on a deeper level, and to guide you through growth with genuine compassion.

You're not alone in your healing—we’re with you every step of the way, not just as professionals, but as people who truly understand. As fleeting as cherry blossoms can be, so is life. Our hope is to help you live yours to the absolute fullest; a life with peace, purpose and meaningful connections with others and most importantly YOURSELF. Your therapeutic journey will be one of rebirth, renewal and new beginnings. Learn more about us here. 

What Clients Have Said

  • Dr. Shaneze was such a gift to us and our son. When we came to her, we were all very stressed out by what felt like the impossible demands of middle school. We were butting heads with our child, compounding the challenges he was already struggling to cope with. Within a few months of working with Dr. Shaneze, we were experiencing far less friction at home, and our son was coping much better with school demands. Most significantly, our son became much more warm and open to us, knowing we had become a team. Dr. Shaneze has a very easy way of communicating, and her advice always felt straightforward and simple to follow. She is deeply understanding and practical and has a very natural way of communicating what were routinely spot-on insights.

  • “I started working with Dr. Gayle Smith due to anxiety and panic attacks that became debilitating. I was not able to perform my best at work and struggled with navigating social situations. Since working with Dr. Gayle Smith, I have felt a lot better. I'm pretty optimistic because I feel a lot less anxiety about things than I did even a few months ago and I feel like I have some strategies to cope with anxiety when I have it. I have not had a panic attacks in months and can’t thank Dr. Gayle Smith enough.”

  • “Our daughter started working with Dr. Smith freshman year due to anxiety. She attends a competitive school and her perfectionism was getting the best of her. We can see the difference in our daughter this semester. We are humbled by Dr. Smith’s support of our little girl. We are fortunate! Thank you so much for all your efforts. Wouldn't have been possible without it.”

  • “Dr. Smith helped our teenage son with anxiety. She provided us with insight into his struggles and how we can support him. Our son continues to do well since treatment has ended. We can’t thank her enough for all she’s done for him.”

  • “Our teenage son has made lots of progress through Dr. Smith’s counseling. He now has a variety of strategies to help address his issues with anxiety, OCD and autism. We also learned strategies that we can use to help him. We are grateful for the support she has provided our family.”

  • I would definitely recommend Dr. Gayle Smith and this form therapy to another teen. It really helped me detach from my thoughts. It helped me realize that the rituals I had to do was unnecessary, which helped me move on. She did a great job helping me work through all my fears and worries. Thank you for your help.

No matter where you are in your journey, it would be our honor to support you.

Client + Therapist Fit Matters

Let’s schedule a call to see if we’re a good fit!