Shelley Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor who joined the Texas Military Department in 2017. She previously provided counseling and support in a variety of settings including prisons, behavioral health emergency rooms, hospitals and community crisis intervention; in the course of this, she had the opportunity to work with both active duty Service Members and veterans. Her passion for working with the military and in particular, The National Guard, is rooted in her family history of military service going as far back as her great-great grandfather who served in the Civil War and her father and uncles who served in WW II. During her career as a counseling intern, she also had the privilege of working with homeless veterans including those having served in Vietnam. As the Team Lead for the Texas Military Department Counseling Program, she has the opportunity to sit with truly remarkable individuals as they work toward improved well-being. In doing this, areas such as trauma, relationship challenges, grief, and overall life goals are addressed. Therapeutic methods such as Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Gottman Couples Counseling are utilized. She believes, however, that more than any therapy technique, change and growth stem from the therapeutic bond created during the counseling process. She often speaks about feeling honored to support the Service Members of the Texas Military Department and the amazing, dedicated and talented counselors employed with the Texas Military Counseling Program.