Dr. Keley Smith-Keller, LPC

Dr. Keley Smith-Keller is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) based in South Dakota with 30 years of experience. She helps people navigate career decisions and life transitions, and supports those facing stress, anxiety, grief, and other common concerns. Her background in adult and higher education informs a practical, goal-oriented approach that many find useful.

She holds a master’s degree in counseling and a doctorate in adult and higher education. Much of her work has been with adults in higher education settings, helping them adjust to college life, manage relationships and anxiety, and make career choices that feel right for them. She also brings experience with workplace and women's issues.

Her style blends narrative and solution-focused therapy. She uses questions and writing exercises to help people clarify what they want next. Sessions often include short-term goals and concrete steps toward change.

Dr. Smith-Keller also uses elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mindfulness practices to help with emotional regulation and stress. She incorporates writing for emotional wellbeing and may use the chat space and written exercises to deepen insight.

People who want clear goals, practical strategies, and ways to use writing as part of their work may find her approach helpful. She encourages a collaborative process that looks at both current challenges and the future the person wants to build.

How therapeutic approaches shape online work

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, focuses on building skills to manage strong emotions and improve relationships. It uses clear skill sets for coping, like distress tolerance and emotion regulation, which can help with anxiety, anger, and mood struggles.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and bring more calm into daily life. This approach is often useful for stress, repetitive worry, and general anxiety.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, needs, and preferences and then suggest which methods to try. That decision is collaborative and can be adjusted as things change.

Confirm the session formats available before booking, as current options are not specified here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They also make it possible to use written exercises and chat-based work between meetings to support reflection and progress.