About Us
Maegin Smith, LCSW
*Accepting Select Health, EMI Health and Private Pay
Although I’m a native Texan and have lived all over North and South America, it only took one trip to Utah 4 years ago to convince me this was a place I could call home. If I could tell my 7 year old self that I’d be who I am today, I wouldn’t believe it in the slightest.
I grew up in a single parent low socioeconomic status household, and struggled with addiction from age 12-20. Now, 13 years later, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as well as a Licensed Substance Use Disorder Counselor, with a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Bachelor’s in Substance Abuse Counseling. Although my upbringing was less than ideal, it gave me many gifts, including resilience and insight that I bring into my work as a therapist.
As a child, I grew up without financial stability and witnessed severe mental health disorders firsthand. My grandmother experienced Paranoid Schizophrenia, and was the most gentle, kind soul I’ve ever encountered. She was one of many people in my family that I saw struggle with mental health disorders. These experiences allowed me to recognize the strength of the human spirit without the judgement a diagnosis can sometimes bring.
It also helped me understand that no matter our psychological, physiological, or socioeconomic struggles, at the core we are all humans doing our best to live meaningful lives. I believe that an authentic relationship and attachment-based approach is essential in order to help someone to grow and recover from a mental health or substance abuse disorder. I also believe in the power of the individual and the innate knowledge within us all, and aim to help my clients access this within themselves. I’ve worked in the addiction and mental health fields since 2017, and have experience with diverse populations of all ages struggling with severe and persistent mental illness, substance use disorders, trauma, and as an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. I’ve also developed a wilderness therapy program and have utilized Equine Assisted Psychotherapy techniques. I have learned that people have drastically varying needs and that there is no one size fits all therapy model. I use the person as my guide and utilize all of the techniques and theories that I’ve studied and practiced to tailor my approach to best fit your needs.
I use experiential therapy techniques to employ theories of somatic experiencing, Gestalt therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, existential psychotherapy, DBT, CBT, and Mindfulness in my practice. I am so excited to work for Utah Excel which provides the aid and guidance of psychological testing to barriers and allow for more accurate use of therapeutic modalities. I would be honored to assist you on your healing journey, and hope to see you soon!