in-person in west asheville · virtual across NC

therapy for anxiety, OCD, trauma & burnout

You can name exactly what's wrong. Knowing hasn't fixed it.

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Lindsey Smith, LCSWA, therapist at Monday Counseling in Asheville NC

does this sound familiar?

your nervous system won't rest.

  • a mind that won't stop: the what-ifs all day, the loops at 3am
  • intrusive thoughts or rituals that you can't reason your way out of
  • exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix
  • a body that stays tense even when nothing's actively wrong
  • doing everything "right" and still feeling like you're falling behind
  • reaching for the thing that takes the edge off, because it works
  • the same dynamic keeps showing up in your relationships, with different people each time

You don't have to check every box. A few is plenty.

Better coping strategies aren't the point. The question is why your system is working this hard in the first place — and what it actually needs.

your nervous system can learn to rest.

you might be in the right place if…

trauma + the body

  • something happened and you thought you were fine. until you weren't.
  • small things hit harder than they should, and you don't always know why
  • you're doing okay on paper, but some part of you is always braced
  • you've talked about it. it still feels the same.
  • the coping made sense at the time. honestly, some of it still does.

anxiety + OCD

  • the thought gets in and won't leave, no matter how many times you've reasoned with it
  • checking and reassurance that buy you about thirty seconds of relief
  • you know it's not that serious. doesn't help.
  • the what-ifs feel more real than what's in front of you
  • the list of things you avoid is slowly running your week

burnout + ADHD

  • you've optimized everything and you're still exhausted
  • you can't tell if you're depressed or just finally still enough to feel it
  • the diagnosis (or the wondering about it) rewrote how you read your whole history
  • starting things is easy. finishing is the problem.
  • rest doesn't actually feel restful. you're tired even when nothing's technically wrong

relationships + everyday life

  • you keep ending up in the same dynamics, just with different people
  • something feels off and you can't quite name it yet
  • you want to understand yourself better, not because things are falling apart, just because
  • a relationship ended or changed and you're still sitting in it
  • you feel things more intensely than the people around you seem to, and you want somewhere to actually say that

education + credentials

education

Master of Social Work (MSW)

University of Kentucky

Graduate work centered on trauma-responsive care and the ways race and identity intersect with mental health. Themes that run through everything I do.

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)

Mars Hill University · Graduated Magna Cum Laude

licensure

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA)

State of North Carolina

I work as an associate clinician under the clinical supervision of Melissa Zimmer, MSW, LCSW, LCAS, CCS. This is a standard part of the licensure path in NC, and you get the same care, with an extra set of eyes built in.

I care about making sure people across North Carolina have real access to affirming therapy, the kind that holds up past the intake form. I work with teens (16+), young adults, and adults in person in West Asheville and through online therapy across North Carolina.

University of Kentucky campus entrance with tulips in bloom, where Lindsey earned her MSW

real change doesn't come from
forcing yourself
into a different version.

If white-knuckling through another week has been the whole plan, this is the alternative. The work draws on ERP, EMDR, and somatic approaches. Nothing pulled off a shelf.

why monday

monday is named for the moon — ruler of emotions and the inner life, the part of you that knows things before you can explain them. that felt like the right name for this.

we look at the whole picture: thoughts, body, relationships, patterns.

my approach includes

  • EMDR for trauma processing
  • ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) for OCD + intrusive thoughts
  • somatic work for body-based healing
  • IFS-influenced parts work
  • relational therapy for attachment and connection
  • nervous system regulation and polyvagal-informed approaches

this is a space that's

  • anti-ableist: your nervous system, your pace, honored without question
  • antiracist: race, culture, and systems of oppression are part of the picture
  • queer-affirming: all identities welcome, built around who you actually are
  • neurodivergent-affirming: zero fixing, all affirmation
  • systems-aware: your context is never separated from your healing

what brings people here

getting started

01

let's talk

15 minutes to see if we're a good fit. You can ask me anything.

02

your first session

75 minutes for your story, what you're hoping for, and where we might go.

03

we work at your pace

Weekly, biweekly, monthly, whatever fits your life. The rhythm adapts as you do.

services offered

Teens (16+), young adults, and adults across North Carolina, from the mountains to the coast. You don't need to know what you need yet.

most popular

individual therapy

50-minute sessions. slow things down and untangle what isn't shifting on its own.

what we explore together

  • anxiety, stress + overwhelm
  • OCD + intrusive thoughts (ERP available)
  • identity, self-worth + life transitions
  • relationship patterns + neurodivergent support
  • trauma processing (EMDR available)
  • substance use + what's underneath it

$150

per session · self-pay, insurance, or HSA/FSA

deeper work

extended sessions

80-minute sessions for trauma work that needs more time to unfold: EMDR, somatic approaches, or simply the space to go somewhere without having to come back from it in 50 minutes.

who this helps

  • complex trauma + PTSD
  • attachment wounds + shame
  • chronic stress showing up in the body
  • when the past keeps showing up in the present

$190

per session · self-pay only

what it costs

individual therapy (50 min) $150
extended sessions (80 min) $190
HSA / FSA accepted

A limited number of reduced-fee slots are available; ask during your consultation if cost is a barrier. Full breakdown (insurance, HSA/FSA, policies) on the therapy cost page.

Paying out of pocket means no required diagnosis and no insurer putting a cap on your sessions. Your records stay yours, too. That matters to a lot of people.

I also work with clients who use insurance, through a partner practice. You get the same therapist, just different billing. I accept Blue Cross Blue Shield NC, Aetna, MedCost, and the NC State Health Plan.

Not sure if your plan is covered? Reach out and I'll verify your benefits before your first session.

Blue Cross Blue Shield NC
Aetna
MedCost
NC State Health Plan

therapy should remove barriers, not create them

session recordingsAvailable upon request. Helpful for processing what came up after the fact.

transcript summariesWritten summaries of sessions provided if helpful for processing or memory.

verbal intake optionIntake forms can be completed verbally during your first session if written format is a barrier.

flexible remindersSession reminders via text, email, or both. Whatever works best for your brain.

text-preferred communicationPrefer texts to phone calls? Works for me — just let me know.

in-person + virtualPrivate office in West Asheville. Virtual sessions available across NC.

a private office
in west asheville

If you'd rather sit across from someone in a room, that's an option. I have a private office in West Asheville.

In-person and virtual work the same way. Same intake, same sessions, same rate. Come in, stay home, switch week to week. It all counts.

common questions

Self-pay is $150 for a 50-minute session, $190 for 80 minutes. HSA and FSA accepted. Paying out of pocket means no required diagnosis and no insurer capping your sessions. Your records stay private, too. I also accept BCBS NC, Aetna, MedCost, and the NC State Health Plan through a partner practice; you'll work with me, billing just runs differently. If cost is a real barrier, sliding scale slots are available; just bring it up when we talk.

I have a private office in West Asheville — the exact address comes with your booking confirmation. In-person and virtual are both available, and you can switch between them. Most clients just pick whatever has the least friction that week.

All sessions are conducted via secure, HIPAA-compliant video. I'll send you a link before each session. All you need is a device with a camera, an internet connection, and a quiet space where you can talk freely. If tech ever fails, just text me. Most issues are solved by refreshing the page.

I work with teens ages 16 and up, as well as young adults and adults. If you're a parent inquiring for a teen, reach out and we can talk through what that might look like, including how parent involvement is (and isn't) part of the process.

The free 15-minute consultation is just a conversation. No paperwork, no pressure, no commitment. We'll talk about what's been weighing on you, what you're hoping therapy might help with, and whether we seem like a good fit. You can ask me anything. If we're not the right match, I'm happy to point you toward someone who might be.

I provide outpatient therapy for people stable enough for weekly or biweekly sessions, not crisis intervention or intensive support outside scheduled appointments.

If you're in crisis right now, please reach out to the crisis resources listed further down this page. Once you're on steadier ground, I'd be glad to work together.

All sessions are HIPAA-compliant and your records are confidential per NC law. The exceptions (risk of harm, legal requirements) are covered before we begin. No surprises.

Standard sessions are 50 minutes. Extended sessions are 80 minutes, designed for trauma work that needs more time to unfold. Your first session is 75 minutes so we have enough time to actually understand what's going on before we get into it.

Most people start weekly. Biweekly once you've built some momentum, monthly for maintenance. We figure out what fits your life and adjust as things shift.

Life happens. I ask for at least 24 hours notice when possible so the time can be offered to someone else. Late cancellations (under 24 hours) and no-shows are charged $150, the full session rate. That isn't a penalty. The time was held for you, and it can't be filled last minute. If something comes up, just text me directly. I'd always rather hear from you than not.

Not every therapist is right for every person. Tell me directly, try a few sessions to see, or ask for a referral. I'd rather you find the right fit than stay out of politeness.

still have questions? send me a message →

you've read enough.
let's just talk.

A free 15-minute consultation. No paperwork and no pressure. Just a conversation about what you're carrying and what you need.

book a free consult →

in-person in west asheville · virtual across nc

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