Olivia Smith-Elnaggar Mitsos, Psy.D.

Olivia Smith-Elnaggar Mitsos (she/her) is post-doctoral fellow at Mirror Mental Health under the supervision of Dr. Tammy Miller, Psy.D. She uses family systems interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), relational theory techniques, and emotion-focused therapy in her work with individual clients, families, and couples. She has previously worked as a registered behavior technician, doing applied behavior analysis with children with developmental disorders under the supervision of a board-certified behavior analyst for three years.

Olivia has conducted psychological assessments for court-mandated immigration and competency cases. Her therapeutic work has served families, children, adolescents, and adults from diverse backgrounds across externships in schools and private practices.

Olivia’s professional interests include relationship and intimacy issues, intersectional identity development, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, and the use of virtual interventions. She is committed to providing a safe space for clients in which they can be empowered to ask questions and collaborate with their therapist to meet their own goals.

Why Olivia Became a Therapist

Tutoring adolescents has shown me that before individuals can meet the demands of work or school, their basic physical and emotional needs must be met. The systems that influence our lives rarely give us the time and space to regulate our emotions, make sense of what we want, and learn how to cope. I transitioned from tutoring to behavioral therapy, where I have been honored to serve families and individuals who are constantly asked to change themselves for the comfort of others. I have since moved to study clinical psychology in the hopes of understanding the emotional and cognitive needs of individuals who are often overlooked or placed under extreme stress. Now I see that our identities, families, communities, and cultures shape our goals, skills, and worldviews, and I am excited to empower individuals to navigate those influences.

How Olivia Lives Authentically

Honoring true self care, like mealtimes with family, hygiene routines, caring for pets, and contact with cherished friends.

Making lists and then celebrating when I can cross off things that are done.

Trying to view setbacks as opportunities to learn about myself.

Relying upon a support network when it’s difficult to think clearly.