Smithson Counseling, Andy Smithson, LCSW

09/04/2025

The “What If” Trap: How to Stop Catastrophizing & Rewire Anxiety

https://youtu.be/OkTi02JDp18

Ever ask yourself, “What if the plane crashes?” or “What if I forget how to breathe in the cereal aisle?” Sounds absurd—but also familiar, right? These anxious thoughts aren’t random. Your brain rehearses catastrophe not because it’s broken, but because it’s trying to protect you—just very badly.

In this video, you’ll learn how to spot and stop two types of “What If” anxiety:

Absurd What Ifs — irrational fears fueled by catastrophizing

Realistic What Ifs — fears rooted in past experiences or real risks

Using tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACTT), you’ll discover how to:

1. Label distorted thoughts to calm your amygdala

2. Use reality testing to challenge irrational fears

3. Shift from “What if?” to “Then what?” for values-based planning

4. Apply compassionate humor to defuse anxiety

5. Build emotional resilience through preparation, not panic

Whether your brain is throwing spaghetti at the wall or replaying past pain, this video gives you the tools to respond with clarity, calm, and confidence.

Like, subscribe, and drop a comment: What’s one “What If” your brain loves to throw at you? https://youtu.be/OkTi02JDp18

09/03/2025

Why Pretending to Know Everything Is Making You Anxious — The Truth About Impression Management

Ever blurted out an answer just to look smart—only to get wrecked by the follow-up question? “Yes, of course, the mitochondria is the capital of France.” 😅 We’ve all been there. But it’s not about lying—it’s about impression management, and it’s silently fueling your anxiety.

This video breaks down:

🧠 What impression management really is

😰 How it creates chronic anxiety and self-doubt

🔄 The mindset shift from “Do I look good?” to “Am I being honest?”

💬 Why authenticity is the antidote to performance pressure

✅ How to build mental clarity and confidence through honesty

If you’re tired of pretending, performing, or feeling like you have to “have it all together,” this is your wake-up call. Real confidence starts with radical honesty.

💡 Smash that like button, subscribe for more tools on emotional clarity, and check out the full episode to start living aligned—not just admired.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Fs0aRwkWc8g

Ever blurted out an answer just to look smart—only to get wrecked by the follow-up question? “Yes, of course, the mitochondria is the capital of France.” 😅 ...

09/03/2025

Truth Creates Trust — How Image Anxiety Sabotages Your Relationships & Peace

https://youtube.com/shorts/HcWDYgSawjo

Ever kept something to yourself—not to deceive, but to avoid looking like a failure? You’re not alone. One of my clients once hid the fact that he couldn’t pay a bill—not because he wanted to lie, but because he didn’t want to appear irresponsible.

This is image anxiety, and it’s one of the most common yet destructive forms of self-sabotage. When we prioritize how we look over what’s real, we trade authenticity for anxiety. The result? Broken trust, growing stress, and a shattered self-image.

In this video, you’ll learn:

🧠 Why we hide the truth to protect our image

💬 How impression management fuels anxiety

🔍 The psychology behind vulnerability and trust

✅ Why radical honesty leads to emotional freedom

🧭 How to stop performing and start living authentically

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be real. That’s where healing begins.

💡 Like, subscribe, and check out the full video on image anxiety for more honest, real-world mental health tools.

Ever kept something to yourself—not to deceive, but to avoid looking like a failure? You’re not alone. One of my clients once hid the fact that he couldn’t p...

09/02/2025

Why You Feel Anxious for “No Reason” and How to Fix it

Ever feel anxious out of nowhere—like you're making toast and suddenly your heart’s racing? You’re not alone. Anxiety always has a reason, even if it’s buried beneath layers of stress, shoulds, or unprocessed emotions.

In this video, we’ll unpack 5 surprising causes of anxiety that often go unnoticed, including:

Cumulative stress

Sensory overload

Low discomfort tolerance

Unprocessed trauma

Cognitive distortions

You’ll learn how your brain’s amygdala reacts to perceived threats, why your phone might be making things worse, and how to use the ACT method (Acknowledge, Change, Think, Take action) to calm your nervous system.

This is a mix of psychology, neuroscience, therapy tools, and even a few absurd metaphors (banana drops and death metal meditation included). If you’ve ever asked, “Why am I anxious for no reason?”—this video will give you clarity, validation, and practical steps forward.

Like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear that their anxiety makes sense. https://youtu.be/khX9KAlc3kA

09/02/2025

Why “What Do You Want?” Is the Hardest Therapy Question — And How to Answer It

https://youtube.com/shorts/AT13cSKL_sE

“What do you want?”—it’s one of the most powerful and difficult questions in therapy. Most people freeze, deflect, or say, “I just want to feel better.” But there’s deep psychology behind that reaction.

If you grew up with trauma, perfectionism, or high expectations, even wanting something can feel dangerous. Why? Because wanting opens the door to failure, disappointment, and vulnerability. So we stay vague. We avoid goals. We play small and call it “realistic.”

But here’s the truth:
✅ Healing begins when you name what you truly want.
✅ Clarity is the first step toward a meaningful life.
✅ Even if it feels scary or out of reach, naming your desires is a radical act of self-trust.

This video explores the intersection of trauma psychology, goal setting, and emotional healing. Learn how to align your goals with your deeper values and take the first step toward real transformation.

Tap like, hit subscribe, and watch the full video to unlock the mindset shift that changes everything.

“What do you want?”—it’s one of the most powerful and difficult questions in therapy. Most people freeze, deflect, or say, “I just want to feel better.” But ...

08/28/2025

Get More Out of Life... What is your lighthouse?

Want to get more out of life? Ever feel stuck, unsure what you really want, or like you're chasing goals that don’t actually fulfill you? You’re not alone—and it’s not failure, it’s psychology. In this video, we explore why so many people feel lost in adulthood, even when life looks “fine” on the outside.

You’ll learn a powerful metaphor used in therapy—the lighthouse range system—to help you align your goals, values, and daily actions. This mental GPS is rooted in value-directed living, behavioral activation, and emotional laws that govern real growth.

Discover how cognitive dissonance, perfectionism, and fear of failure keep us vague and stuck—and how to break free by defining what truly matters. Whether you’re navigating relationships, career choices, or emotional healing, this framework helps you move forward with # clarity, even in the fog.

Like, subscribe, and share if you’re ready to stop drifting and start living with purpose. https://youtu.be/KEz8psT0EYI

08/27/2025

What is the Andy Smithson, LCSW channel all about?

I help people live true principles for better mental health and wellness.
Hi, I’m Andy Smithson, a licensed therapist (LCSW), speaker, and founder of Smithson Counseling & Mindwire Neurofeedback. After years of helping individuals and families in therapy sessions, one request kept coming up:
“Can you put this in a video?”

This channel is my answer to that request—and your go-to space for mental health tips, therapy tools, and personal growth strategies that actually work in the real world.

Here, I share short, practical videos rooted in evidence-based therapy, including frameworks from CBT, mindfulness, neuroscience, and solution-focused techniques. Every video is designed to help you feel better, think clearer, and grow stronger.

On this channel, you'll find content to help you:
Get fast, effective anxiety relief and stress management techniques

Find support and insight for depression help, burnout, and overwhelm

Build lifelong skills in emotional regulation, trauma healing, and emotional wellness

Improve communication skills, handle conflict resolution, and build stronger relationships

Set and achieve goals with clarity through goal setting, habits for success, and purposeful living

Create healthy boundaries, build confidence, and develop a grounded sense of self-worth

Whether you're looking for strategies to cope with anxiety, depression, or stress, or you’re ready to grow emotionally, spiritually, and mentally, this channel gives you practical guidance from a licensed therapist in clear, relatable language.

I believe that therapy advice should be accessible, empowering, and simple enough to take action on today. If you're navigating challenges in your mental health, healing from trauma, managing emotional overwhelm, or just want to better understand yourself and others—this channel is for you.

➡️ Subscribe for new videos every week and join a community committed to growth, healing, and mental wellness.

You're not alone—and you're in the right place.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXNFKeIaQ4ZIVrz1Mzpnkkw

08/27/2025

Trapped by “Shoulds”? How to Break Free from Shame & Rewire Your Mindset

https://youtube.com/shorts/T6BiAqBAi3Q

Ever think, “I should be further along” or “I shouldn’t need help”? These should statements are one of the brain’s most common emotional traps. Therapists call it the tyranny of shoulds—a pattern that turns personal growth into self-judgment, fuels shame, and blocks real progress.

In this video, you’ll learn how to reframe toxic “shoulds” into empowering, growth-oriented language. Instead of “I should be better at this,” try “I want to get better, and I’m learning how.” That shift isn’t just kinder—it’s psychologically accurate and supports emotional resilience, self-compassion, and mental clarity.

Whether it’s midnight cookie guilt or career comparison spirals, this tool helps you break free from cognitive distortions, reduce anxiety, and build a mindset rooted in growth, not guilt.

Like this video if you’ve ever felt trapped by “shoulds,” and subscribe to watch the full episode—no shame required.

Ever think, “I should be further along” or “I shouldn’t need help”? These should statements are one of the brain’s most common emotional traps. Therapists ca...

08/26/2025

“Always” and “Never” Are Lying to You—Stop Cognitive Distortions That Trigger Anxiety

https://youtube.com/shorts/X98NkfPl4a8

Ever catch yourself saying “I always screw things up” or “They never listen to me”? Here’s the wild truth: those words—always and never—are signs of cognitive distortions, and they’re quietly hijacking your mental health.

Studies show these distorted thought patterns activate the brain’s threat detection system, triggering the same stress response as a physical danger. That means your brain treats a bad day at work like a bear attack. Helpful? Not really.

In this video, you’ll learn how to spot and reframe absolute thinking, one of the most common cognitive traps linked to anxiety, depression, and low self-worth. Instead of “I always mess up,” try “I didn’t do well this time, and I’m learning.” It’s not just kinder—it’s more accurate, and it helps retrain your brain for emotional resilience and mental clarity.

Like, subscribe, and check out the full episode for two more powerful ways distorted thinking steals your peace—and how to take it back.

Ever catch yourself saying “I always screw things up” or “They never listen to me”? Here’s the wild truth: those words—always and never—are signs of cognitiv...

08/25/2025

EMDR: Your Brain’s Reset Button for Trauma

https://youtu.be/V0mmo86N0zo

What if your brain had a built-in reset button for trauma?
And what if science had already figured out how to press it? EMDR just might be that trauma reset.

This video unpacks EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) — the strange but powerful method that helps millions of people heal from trauma, anxiety, PTSD, and painful memories. Backed by neuroscience and decades of clinical results, EMDR retrains the brain to release old triggers and replace fear with calm.

In this video, you’ll discover:

Why trauma lives in both the mind and body

How your brain can get “stuck” in trauma mode

The psychology of dual attention and “redeeming the stimulus”

How EMDR uses simple eye movements (or tapping) to unlock healing

Real-life stories of transformation through EMDR

If you’ve struggled with anxiety, PTSD, or emotional triggers, this may be the breakthrough tool you’ve been searching for.

✨ You can’t change the past — but you can change how the past lives in you.

🔔 Subscribe for more brain-changing tools, mental health insights, and practical psychology strategies that help you live calmer, freer, and more resilient.

08/25/2025

The Therapist Secret That Sparks Real Change—Compassionate Communication

https://youtube.com/shorts/KP0m6jKCc-E

Here’s the truth most people miss: advice doesn’t create change—connection does. In this video, learn what truly helps people grow, based on 14 years of therapy experience. Discover why the key to transformation isn’t offering solutions, punishment, or even rewards—it’s helping someone feel seen, safe, and understood.

When we stop trying to fix and start truly listening, psychological safety unlocks openness and self-directed growth. This doesn’t just apply to therapy—it revolutionizes how you communicate with partners, kids, coworkers, and friends.

If you're tired of conflict and ready for communication that actually works, this is your starting point. Get practical psychology tools that foster trust, emotional resilience, and real behavioral change.

Like, subscribe, and check out the full video for more expert-backed communication skills and mental health insights.

Here’s the truth most people miss: advice doesn’t create change—connection does. In this video, learn what truly helps people grow, based on 14 years of ther...

08/21/2025

3 Thought Traps That Fuel Anxiety—How to Spot & Stop Cognitive Distortions

Ever catch yourself thinking “I always mess things up” or “I should be better by now”? These aren’t just unhelpful thoughts—they’re cognitive distortions, and they’re quietly sabotaging your mental health. In this video, you’ll learn how distorted thinking patterns like absolutes, labeling, and should statements activate your brain’s threat detection system, fueling anxiety, depression, imposter syndrome, and emotional burnout.

Backed by CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and recent neuroimaging studies, we’ll break down the psychology behind distorted thoughts and teach you how to spot them using three powerful “alarm bells.” You’ll also learn how to reframe these thoughts into emotionally accurate, growth-oriented beliefs that support mental clarity, emotional resilience, and self-worth.

If you’re ready to stop believing the lies your brain tells you and start building healthier thought patterns, this is your toolkit.

Like, subscribe, and share for more science-backed mental health tools that actually work.

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/jsr8CGhg8hg