Meet D'Shanna
*d'Shanna is currently accepting new clients!*
D’Shanna Jackson-Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) licensed by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners. D’Shanna completed her Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Sociology from the University of Minnesota in 1998 and earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work with a Mental Health Specialization from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2008.
D’Shanna began her career in the helping professions assisting needy individuals with their government entitlements before she decided to pursue her goal of becoming a social worker. D’Shanna values and respects each person’s life perspective and seeks to assist clients with their goals during their life journey.
D’Shanna’s experience working in therapeutic foster care agencies and outpatient mental health clinics has developed her ability to build a therapeutic alliance with people across all age groups and developmental levels.
D’Shanna primarily draws from the following therapeutic approaches, though she is flexible in the use of therapeutic tools: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Play Therapy, and Trauma-focused therapy.
D'Shanna's Therapeutic Approach
Specialties: Depression, anxiety, life transitions, racial trauma, mental health stigma, women's issues, post-partum depression, parenting concerns, relationship issues, family issues.
Populations: Teens, Adults 18+, couples, families.
D’Shanna is known to bring warmth, respect, and a laid-back approach to therapy sessions. Her clients frequently say that they felt genuinely cared for and helped by her approach. D’Shanna’s philosophy is that the expert in the room is her client and she is a facilitator of change and empowerment.
D’Shanna enjoys using a combination of talk therapy, psychoeducation, humor, and her client’s strengths to bring a relaxed, non-judgmental atmosphere to therapy sessions.
As an African-American woman, wife, and mother she intimately understands how social injustice, the “black superwoman syndrome”, lack of support and self-care intertwine and create overwhelming emotional stress. While growing up in the African-American community D’Shanna learned that recognition of mental health challenges was discouraged. She wants to change unhealthy cultural stereotypes and encourage the use of mental health services within all communities.
D’Shanna also understands the challenges of womanhood and motherhood, including postpartum depression and parenting challenges. D’Shanna believes that each person should be encouraged to acknowledge their challenges and receive the assistance and support to bring solutions to the forefront in therapy sessions.
D’Shanna has experience working with adults, adolescents, and children dealing with stress, anxiety and depression, and specializes in working with clients with a history of trauma and the challenges of womanhood throughout the lifespan.
D'Shanna Outside of the Office
D’Shanna is a loving mother of four children who enjoys spending time with her children, learning about natural healing sources, and creating DIY body butters and restoration furniture projects.
Let D’Shanna help you restore your life!
Contact Info:
Phone: 443-272-1233
Ready to Schedule An Appointment? Submit a therapy request here.
