Journey Home East, a transitional living program for females ages 16-21 in Asheville, NC, is excited to welcome Primary Therapist Emily Smith, MSW, LMSW, LCSWA.  Emily graduated with her Master of Social Work degree from Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. She moved from this midwestern state to the beautiful mountains of North Carolina after a long-time passion for supporting young people on their journeys of self-discovery in natural healing spaces. She gained her tenure in this work from working in wilderness therapy treatment settings, proudly embodying a number of roles throughout her time. As she climbed the professional ladder, Emily began to hone her work with young people toward a focus on identity development and complex trauma. She realized that the self-discovery journey for young people is plagued with experiences of both systemic and episodic trauma and drew from her experience with unique and expressive modalities to “get to the roots” of the young people she was working with. Thinking “outside the box” is something that Emily enjoys and feels is essential in effectively collaborating with young people to achieve their goals. 

“We are thrilled to have Emily join our Journey Home East clinical team,” says Executive Director Danielle Andrews, “she’s a visionary and an absolutely brilliant clinician who exemplifies an empowered strength, grit, and groundedness. I’m confident that our residents will continue to heal and ultimately elevate in her care.” 

Emily utilizes a variety of experiential modalities such as expressive arts therapy, Brainspotting, somatic experiencing, and Trauma Centered Trauma Sensitive Yoga to name a few. Emily believes that the key to a healthier future is healthier relationships. She focuses on conflict resolution, trust-based relational interventions, and the value of a felt sense of safety in allowing the relationship to guide the work.

When she isn’t on the job, Emily is often found doing something creative, whether it’s being in the outdoors with her family and animals, tending to her garden, working on her latest home renovation project, or baking a pie.

To learn more about the program please visit: https://journeyhomeeast.com/

About Journey Home East

Journey Home East is a transitional living program serving females ages 16-21 in the artistic semi-urban community of downtown Asheville, NC. We provide around-the-clock structure and support for young women learning everyday skills in preparation for real-world living. Our residential program, led by a team of experienced and compassionate professionals, assists residents with all aspects of daily life including budgeting and financial planning; managing free time and electronic device consumption; relationship building and growing boundaries; health, hygiene, and personal safety; applying for jobs; school studies; shopping for groceries and cooking meals; and more. Clients enrolling at Journey Home East have had previous therapeutic placement and require transitional housing prior to independence. We provide all residents with continued therapeutic support to assist them on their life journey.