Dr Smoot is reliable and supportive and excels in his job. Over the last two years, I have had multiple complex mental health issues to deal with. His support has been invaluable as a psychologist, but also as a sparing partner for practical life situations. I highly recommend him.
Dr. Frederick Smoot, LMFT
Experienced mental health professional
Provides online counseling through BetterHelp
At a glance
Frederick is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.
- 4.5 stars
- Clients are very satisfied with Frederick. View 29 reviews
- Speaks English
- Offers Telehealth visits
- Licensed in California
Recent reviews
Dr. Smoot brings a wealth of experience and compassion to our conversations. I feel seen and heard and like I’m in a safe space to share.
More about Frederick
- 5 years' experience
- Male
- LMFT
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA #12959) with over 15 years of experience counseling/ accompanying persons through difficult parts of their life-journeys. I have worked with a wide range of concerns including Isolation. loneliness, fearfulness, anxiety, intimacy/relationship issues, parenting and career challenges, addiction, physical and emotional abuse and life transitions.
My counseling style is warm, curious and appropriately truth-telling.. I treat others with respect and consistent presence. I work to sustain and shame-free context that empowers persons to (re)claim their lies and future with dignity.
I am an accompanist, using therapeutic tools gathered from several clinical approaches. I am relational, client centered, mindful, and strategic. I believe that direction and goals for therapy are shaped together with the client. We will tailor a treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs.
Your willingness to reach out for support shows your courage and desire for a better future. I encourage you to take this step, accompanied and supported
I look forward to working with you.
Specialties
Stress
Anxiety
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Depression
Compassion fatigue
Addictions
LGBT
Trauma and abuse
Grief
Intimacy-related issues
Eating disorders
Parenting issues
Anger management
Self esteem
Career difficulties
Coping with life changes
Coaching
Abandonment
Aging and Geriatric Issues
Attachment issues
Blended Family Issues
Caregiver issues and stress
Communication problems
Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster
Divorce and separation
Domestic Violence
Drug and Alcohol Addiction
Emptiness
Hospice and End of Life Counseling
Infidelity
Isolation / loneliness
Life purpose
Midlife crisis
Multicultural Concerns
Narcissism
Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships
Self-Harm
Sex Addiction
Sexual Dysfunction
Social anxiety and phobia
Workplace issues
Young Adult Issues
Treatment Approaches
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Gottman Method
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
Licenses
Dr. Frederick Smoot's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1982792057.
- LMFT · California · 12959 · Expires January 2026
About online counseling
- Affordable.
- Pay a low flat fee.
- Convenient.
- Do it at your own time and at your own pace. Communicate whenever you feel it's needed.
- Available now.
- There is no waiting list and no calls to make. Simply fill out a short questionnaire and send your first message.
Online counseling allows you to receive care from a mental health practitioner via phone, video chat, or instant messaging. It is convenient for those who may have trouble getting to or would prefer not to have in-person therapy appointments. Starting at $65 per week, online counseling is generally more affordable than in-person counseling. A study by researchers at University of California, Berkeley found that online counseling can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy while being more convenient, affordable, and accessible.
Reviews for Dr. Frederick Smoot
All reviews have been submitted by clients after seeing the provider.
Overall rating:
Dr Smoot is reliable and supportive and excels in his job. Over the last two years, I have had multiple complex mental health issues to deal with. His support has been invaluable as a psychologist, but also as a sparing partner for practical life situations. I highly recommend him.
Dr. Smoot brings a wealth of experience and compassion to our conversations. I feel seen and heard and like I’m in a safe space to share.
Dr Smoot is both a great listener but also has the capacity to draw from his extensive reading experience to offer a useful quote or insight- something not all therapists have. You can engage with him in depth and on questions of depth. But like all therapy - it is what you make of it. Be clear and bring up the topic - if his response resonates and you want to talk more then you’re into something. I’m clocking more when I steered the conversation towards a topic I thought was secondary but turned out to be primary.
Dr. Smoot is a great listener and very intuitive.
Awesome
I have been with Dr. Fred for about 18 months and I cant say enough about this man. He is caring, asks great questions, pulls from his plethora of tools and experience and is very supportive. A great balance as well by taking tough subjects and breaking them down to digestible pieces. He is a wonderful Dr, and yes, you get a Doctor when you select Dr. Fred which again speaks to his experience and knowledge. I hope he doesnt retire soon! Mahalo Nui Loa Dr. Fred!
Dr Smoot is a very caring man, asks great questions and does not judge. A+++
Brilliant therapist.
Dr Smoot is a fantastic therapist who listens, cares and asks powerful questions
Caring, compassionate and very funny! I really enjoy my time with him.
Dr. Smoot helped me during such an hard period of my life, which I'm out now. Highly recommended. Great Dr. Smoot!
Dr Smoot is an excellent Therapist with a broad array of experience and expertise. He is professional and respectful in his approach. Highly recommended.
Dr Fred is awesome!
Has done a good job of learning about my concerns and goals and making adjustments to plans and discussions as our sessions go on
Extremely good listener and I feel safe sharing my deepest feelings with him. He doesn’t judge and makes me feel better every time we chat
Dr Smoot is great at what he does, he actively listens and provides practical ways and options to change the directory of your current situation. It’s only been a few weeks but I have already seen a massive drop in my anxiety, if you have the chance to work with him please do!
Super nice and understanding, easy to talk with and gives great feedback!
Very friendly and helpful guy, helps you untangle your mind and focus on the moving forward.
Dr. Smoot is a fantastic listener and respects me as a person. Give great advice and asks powerful questions
Extremely helpful and supportive
Dr. Smoot has been a fantastic support during a time in my life that has been filled with uncertainty and anxiety. His approach is to listen first and then provide thoughtful tools to help keep me centered as I work through my life changes.
Fantastic counsellor. Really takes time to thoughtfully understand all facets of the root of your problems.
The man is a legend.
We have only had one session after I switched counselors and I felt heard and supported and we will see thanks
Dr. Smoot is great! He jumps right in to help with relevant work, reading, theories, etc.
Dr. Smoot is a judge free zone. He listens and remembers and has great stories to share.
Frederick is really great. He is a very good listener and always seems to know what I am dealing with. He gives me some homework to think through for the week.
Learning to embrace the present and attack the future with positivity. Its early days but I am buying into this. Finished todays session with a spring in my step!
Dr. Smoot is very caring and insightful. He is able to pick up on patterns quickly and is very adaptive when it comes to solving issues that come up. I am very impressed with his work and grateful for his counseling.
Frequently asked questions
Does Dr. Frederick Smoot offer telehealth visits?
Yes. Dr. Frederick Smoot works with clients by exchanging messages, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing based on what works for the client at that particular time.
What language(s) does Dr. Frederick Smoot speak?
Dr. Frederick Smoot speaks English.
How many years of experience does Dr. Frederick Smoot have?
Dr. Frederick Smoot has 5 years of experience.
Where is Dr. Frederick Smoot licensed to practice?
Dr. Frederick Smoot is licensed to practice in California.
Does Dr. Frederick Smoot accept clients outside of the United States?
Yes, Dr. Frederick Smoot accepts clients outside of the United States.
Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?
Numerous studies support the effectiveness of online platforms in facilitating life changes. For instance, research published by JMIR Publications, conducted by teams from the University of Berkeley, UCSF, and SF General Hospital, found that "users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform."
What treatment approaches does Dr. Frederick Smoot offer?
Dr. Frederick Smoot offers clients Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gottman Method, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, and Psychodynamic Therapy.
How can I communicate with Dr. Frederick Smoot?
Dr. Frederick Smoot can be engaged in any one of four ways: (1) Exchanging messages, (2) chatting live, (3) speaking over the phone, or (4) video conferencing. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience.
How do I get started with Dr. Frederick Smoot?
Just tap the CHAT NOW button or tap here: A new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.
Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable.
And recovery is possible.
When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.