Jared Smiley, LPC Atlanta
"The good life is a process...it's a direction, not a destination."    -Carl Rogers
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Welcome! Thank you for visiting. 


Stress. Worry. Anger. Sadness. Fear.
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Heartache. Disconnection. 
Stuck.

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These are heavy, layered and often painful human experiences that many people bring in to psychotherapy. They can also be stubborn and isolating. In therapy, you have the opportunity listen to suffering safely, discover what you're needing, and grow.

No matter where we live, how intelligent or resourceful we are, or how careful we've been, we all encounter difficult, painful and transformational times in our inner and outer lives. Sometimes these periods feel short or very long, and sometimes it's as if they've always been a part of us. Sometimes something happens that scatters life to pieces. And sometimes we seem unable to trace our experiences back to a source. However, through this process you can learn to explore, discover and apply these transformational elements and make challenging experiences gratifying and fruitful parts of life.

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Phone: 678-404-0898
Email:  contact@jaredsmiley.com
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In my experience so far...

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I hope to help you along the process of finding a therapist, engaging therapy, and working in therapy successfully. Read on to find out more about my experience and approach. 

Native to Atlanta, I studied psychology and philosophy at the University of Georgia before earning a Master of Science degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University. While studying there I presided over a student organization for counselor development and working with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people in therapy; researched aggression in a behavioral science lab; collaborated with doctoral students on dissertation projects; trained with Safe Zone and served on the Safe Zone Interdepartmental committee; worked in a graduate research assistantship for an organization serving under-resourced grandparents raising their grandchildren.

After four years of practice in community-based settings working with adults living with HIV/AIDS and chronic illness, marginalized children and families, and individuals and groups recovering from substance and sex addiction, I joined a small private practice. Three and half years later I started my own practice and moved to the offices of the Cathedral Counseling Center at the Lanier House in affiliation with the Cathedral of St. Philip.

With my experience so far, I value my continuous development of an interdisciplinary approach to working in psychotherapy with individuals, groups and families holistically. I incorporate a breadth of natural sciences, anthropology, mythology, and philosophy. I approach psychotherapy as an existentialist and humanist. Mindfulness, expressive therapies (e.g., art, play), interpersonal neurobiology, ecopsychology, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are several of the wells from which I frequently draw. Here's a synopsis of those schools of thought:

Simply put, ACT is "an experiential approach to behavior change" and designed to be a facilitator of growth and healing for people, and there are many interventions I find useful in this model. Interpersonal neurobiology is a field of neuroscience pioneered by Dr. Dan Siegel and developed over the last 15 years, which "applies the emerging principles of interpersonal neurobiology to promote compassion, kindness, resilience, and well-being in our personal lives, our relationships, and our communities." Here's a video of Dan explaining a little about that piece. And straight from the International Community for Ecopsychology: 

Ecopsychology is situated at the intersection of a number of fields of inquiry, including psychology, ecology, spirituality, and environmental philosophy, but is not limited by any disciplinary boundaries. Put most simply, Ecopsychology explores the synergistic relation between personal health and well-being and the health and well-being of our home, the Earth.
Existentialists subscribe to a philosophy of curiosity and examination of existence. In psychotherapy we look into unconscious anxieties that operate under the surface of every moment for each of us; death and dying, meaninglessness, freedom, and isolation. We examine how people cope with and compensate for these fundamental anxieties, and we offer opportunities to discover more rewarding and authentic ways of meeting the challenges life presents. We believe that human suffering in general is a universal and natural part of our human condition (meaning nothing is wrong with you for feeling it), and to relieve our suffering--to master our lives--we must first accept it as it is. 

Humanism is a psychological and philosophical movement given rise to by existential inquiry. Humanists aim to promote growth and development through making mindful contact with the powerful potential within us and our relationships. We understand and respect human beings as the capable, talented, intelligent, spiritual and resilient survivors that we are. Actualizing your potential--living with intention and consciousness--paves the way to finding a richer, more satisfying and rewarding life. And this is a practice.

Areas of experience and specialty

  • Cultivating quality and alleviating the impact of the environmental conditions, emotional interferences, disruptive thinking, and automatic patterns of behavior that impede it (i.e., chronic stress, guilt and shame, addictive and compulsive cycling, depression, maladaptive relationship patterns, perceptions of inadequacy, anxiety and fear, panic, complicated bereavement, ambivalence, anger, etc.)
  • Sexual and gender identity conflict, development and transition 
  • Relationship formation, development and transition
  • Processing and tending to loss and life transitions
  • Healing from trauma and untangling posttraumatic stress from daily life
  • Utilizing mindfulness-based stress reduction and calming anxiety​

The office


Cathedral Counseling Center | Lanier House
2744 Peachtree Road NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Monday - Friday

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Questions? Here, this may help.

JSP, LLC

Jared Smiley Psychotherapy, LLC
P: 678-404-0898
E: contact@jaredsmiley.com
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Clients have said...

"I appreciate how gentle and direct you were--just holding rather than pushing. I think I prefer that a lot more. You helped me a great deal..."
"Loving environment. Jared makes a safe and comfortable space to share and explore important and deep parts of myself."

"Awesome perspective. I just love his take on things and the way he sees life."
"His way of being calming, warm, nonintrusive, insightful, and observant is exactly what I've needed to sit with and work through these tough parts of my life."
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