Andrienne Horton-Smith , LCPC

Andrienne Horton-Smith is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) practicing in Illinois with 24 years of clinical experience. She brings extensive experience in individual and group counseling, life coaching, and mentoring, centering her work on helping people deepen their sense of self-worth and resilience.

Her clinical focus includes supporting clients facing stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma and abuse, self-esteem concerns, and major life transitions. She also works with issues such as attachment and abandonment, communication difficulties, impulsivity, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress, social anxiety, and workplace or multicultural concerns. Andrienne helps clients process emotional stressors that arise from anxiety, depression, and unresolved generational trauma, using approaches tailored to each person’s history and strengths.

Andrienne emphasizes the client as the expert of their own life story and looks for existing and emerging strengths that can be used in healing and problem solving. She frames the work as a collaborative process that honors courage and growth, offering steady support as clients move toward more fulfilling and joyful lives. Her practice integrates practical strategies with compassionate guidance to help individuals navigate change and build healthier patterns.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Andrienne uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT is practical and skills-focused, often useful for anxiety, mood concerns, and stress management. Motivational Interviewing is another approach she applies to support people who are ambivalent about change - it uses collaborative conversation to strengthen motivation and clarify personal goals. Trauma-Focused Therapy is used when past traumatic experiences are central to a person's difficulties; this approach helps process trauma reactions and reduce the impact of traumatic memories while building coping strategies.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Andrienne works collaboratively with clients to determine which methods align with their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting techniques over time as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can occur by video call or phone, and shorter interactions can happen through live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, maintain continuity during transitions, and access consistent support from licensed professionals without changing locations.