Family therapy and counseling in Ormond Beach, FL

It has always been my desire to make a positive impact within the local community. I am excited to bring 20+ years of experience working with adolescents, young adults, and families. My extensive background in education as a school counselor allows me to build a better understanding of academic and social-focused client goals and translate these skills to societal settings and within the home. Specialized topics often addressed include social skills, anxiety, grief/loss of a loved one, divorce in the home, conflict resolution, peer relations, self-care, building self-esteem, stress reduction, building and repairing relationships, and behavior management. The development and growth of social-emotional health is more important now than ever before, and I am eager to assist my community through the platform of counseling and therapy.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 15 years of experience supporting individuals across inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP, and outpatient settings, working with mental health, substance use, and eating disorders. I hold a Master’s degree in Social Work and am certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an evidence-based approach that helps process trauma and distress more efficiently. My style is warm, collaborative, and tailored to each client, drawing from CBT, DBT, psychodynamic, and client-centered therapies. I specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, substance use, and life transitions. My goal is to create a safe, supportive space where you feel seen, understood, and empowered to move forward.

My background includes trauma, substance use, crisis intervention, anxiety, OCD, and relationship challenges. I am especially passionate about supporting marginalized communities, particularly women and teens, while creating an inclusive and affirming space for all identities and lived experiences. I believe in breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and helping people feel less alone in what they carry.

My therapeutic approach is trauma-informed, collaborative, and tailored to each individual rather than forcing clients into one specific framework. I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), a reprocessing therapy similar to EMDR. I draw from these approaches based on your unique needs, personality, and goals while balancing evidence-based interventions with authenticity, humor, compassion, and occasional tough love.

I use a four- fold approach to treating beyond traditional psychotherapy to help you on your journey. I have PhD in Clinical psychology, two master's degree (one in community counseling, one in community psychology). I also have a degree in Addictions and one in business management. Having worked every level of care from an inpatient hospital setting, residential long-term care, in a jail, a prison, out-patient levels for intensive three times per week to one time per week and taught in two universities. I am working my favorite level of care on an out-patient setting. Training has been in addictions, mental health, couples and family systems. I have other specialties with chronic pain and nutrition/bariatrics and obesity and available to provide medical and court evaluations with limited testing. I see children from 12 and up and adults/geriatrics.

I am a Board-Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with 26 years of nursing experience in various capacities, including psychiatric mental health and addiction medicine for the last 8 years. My passion is to walk alongside my patients on their mental health journey, helping them navigate challenges, cultivate lasting wellness, and restore balance for a meaningful and fulfilling life.

~Meliorism- the belief that the world gets better; the belief that humans can improve the world. --This is not only the name of my practice, Meliorism Counseling LLC, but it's a core value I truly believe in. Using a focus on relationships, I work with individuals, couples, and families to obtain a sense of overall well-being and balance. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Qualified Supervisor in the State of Florida I have had the privilege to work in the dependency system, child advocacy setting, not-for-profit sector and private agencies. Services are available in office or through teletherapy.

My practice style is open minded, solution focused, and direct to the point. I love to help any individual from a humanistic point of view. I am extremely empathetic, love to be honest and being honest with my patients is key in my every day practice.

Before becoming a counselor, I worked as a deputy sheriff, firefighter, EMT, 911 dispatcher, and U.S. Navy Reserve member. That background shapes how I show up in sessions: direct, practical, and without judgment. I pursued counseling because I found I was genuinely good at helping people feel better, and I work with clients navigating anxiety, depression, relationships, grief, and difficult life decisions. If you have been waiting to talk to someone, I am glad you are here.

I’m Karina Smith, LCSW, founder of Bloom Haven Therapeutic Services❀. I specialize in working with young adults and adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and life transitions related to relationships, career shifts, and family dynamics. I also support individuals experiencing the lasting impact of trauma or feeling stuck in patterns that are difficult to break.

My work is grounded in EMDR, DBT-informed therapy, somatic approaches, CBT, and mindfulness-based practices. I’m also an advocate and serve on the PAIMI Council for Disability Rights Florida.