Rhett Smith, Marriage and Family Therapist

10/15/2026

We had theologian/technologist John Dyer ( John Dyer ) on the RT Dialogue podcast this week. We explored the intersections of technology/AI/theology/therapy/human flourishing — it was a great episode.

Tune in and check it out on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and our Substack.

All links in the bio.

08/04/2026

08/04/2026

04/30/2026

Last weekend I had the privilege of helping plan and host a gathering of Restoration Therapy therapists in Austin.

We had a fun dinner out Friday night at Mexican food, which was the perfect segue into all day Saturday training on the topic of forgiveness.

The forgiveness model embedded in Restoration Therapy is one of the most profound and transformative models of forgiveness you will find, and the work of Dr. Terry Hargrave continues to get refined by those of us in the community — both in theory and practice.

Dr. Erik Salwen who helps train therapists in the Restoration Therapy model guided us into a deeply rich time together.

I am so thankful for this work and the community of people who have lived out this work in their own lives and with me over the years.

04/30/2026

A couple of weeks back we had the privilege of interviewing on the RT Dialogue podcast.

Dr. Taylor is a theologian, author, professor, priest, artist — a polymath who I have longed to have on the podcast.

He is well known for his vision behind the famous Eugene Peterson and Bono short film The Psalms, as well as the author behind beautiful books like Open and Unafraid, Body of Praise, Prayers for the Pilgrimage and many more.

Dr. Taylor is a favorite of mine on Instagram, and after some recent posts, I was really interested in conversing around the idea of how we embody truth. How we prevent faith from just being an intellectual, head knowledge, and move it into a lived, heart experience. His work with Psalms and emotions has intrigued me the most lately.

He’s also a Texan living here south of me, so I was eager to connect online, and hope to connect in person someday. His work and the work we do in Restoration Therapy are beautiful conversation partners.

I hope you check out this episode (Episode 70) — all links are in the bio in my profile. And give him a follow on Instagram.

04/08/2026

A few months back, reached out to me to see if I would be interested in writing an article to address some of the things happening in our community.

I realize (like many of you), that the ongoing incendiary rhetoric coming out of the leadership in Washington and many of our local voices — negatively impacts many of our neighbors, and it dehumanizes all of us in the process.

So I try to address the roots of people’s emotional dysregulation in times like these. And speak to the root of the meaning of politics (polis), which is about how we conduct or communal life together, and the love for one another.

The apostle Paul in Philippians 1:27 uses the word to communicate that of the utmost importance is that we conduct our life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

I ask you…are the politics you preach, the leaders you stand behind, and the way you talk about and conduct yourself with all neighbors, reflective of this virtue?

“The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.“ Dietrich Bonhoeffer/Life Together

03/31/2026

Was thankful for the opportunity to speak at ReGen tonight — ReGen has been a part of my restoration, and I’m super thankful for the friendship of Broc Jahnke and the community he has helped foster.

Spoke on Mark 2:1-5 tonight (story of the paralyzed man being carried by his friends to Jesus for healing) as it’s a powerful reminder in our journey towards restoration.

1) that we are powerless in engineering our own restoration and healing. God initiates our healing and we must choose to respond to it.

2) all restoration is communal, and its community that aids in the healing process.

The 12 steps lay out this journey beautifully.

P.S. photo of Broc reading the lyrics to The Banjo Song — resonate with healing and restoration. Here’s a snippet of lyrics.

[Verse 1]
On the dark side of the Earth
Where the creatures are out
I’m a man on the moon
And midnight ‘round my neck
And sunrise on my breath
I still wait for you

[Pre-Chorus]
Will you lay down all the things you’ve done?
Don’t turn your face around
You can come undone

[Chorus]
Well, hey, did you call? Did you fall?
Do you need someone? Do you need someone?
And hey, I’m a mess myself, but I think
I could be someone if you need someone
When I was alone, it was fine, I could deny all I like
I could just push back and make believe and it was alright
But, hey, did you call? Did you fall?
Do you need someone? I could be someone for you

03/18/2026

We were so honored a couple of weeks ago to have on our RT Dialogue podcast.

Brad is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Way of Excellence — which is a phenomenal read that resonates deeply with the kind of masters of our craft we aim to be in the Restoration Therapy community.

Brad’s books sit on the shelves in my therapy office, and not only have they transformed me and the type of person I aim to be, but I’m continually pulling them off the shelves and referencing passages in them to clients.

One thing I have always appreciated about Brad’s work is that he reads all the important authors and ideas, and then has the gift of synthesizing and distilling the information into easy to access concepts that one can practice in their daily lives.

Thanks Brad for taking the time to join us. and I really enjoyed it.

Links to Episode 65 can be found in the bio above (Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Substack)

03/12/2026

“Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family. ” (Henri Nouwen)

Was back ReEngage ministry tonight to speak on the forgiveness journey.

Love the work they do there to transform marriages, and anytime I can talk about the model of forgiveness using the Restoration Therapy model — I’m all in!

02/05/2026

Just some brief comments on some of the books I’ve read the last few months…

Against The Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity by the brilliant English writer, prophet and poet, Paul Kingsnorth | This is the most disturbing book I’ve read in a long time as he explores the all enveloping technological matrix we live and participate in, and the impact on our humanness. It’s a book that once you read, you can’t unsee things. His work reminds me a lot of the French philosopher and theologian Jacques Ellul. So don’t read if you like your naïveté.

The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life by Helen Whybrow, who lives on a farm in Vermont. | This may be the most beautifully written book I’ve read in a long time. This piece in particular reminded me a lot of Annie Dillard’s 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. Just such beautiful and descriptive prose.

Byung-Chul Han | I am late to the party reading this South Korean born, German philosopher. He has written a ton — and nowhere to be found online — and his thinking is profound on a lot of different topics. Very hard to read. But The Burnout Society got me started and I worked my way through The Scent of Time and The Crisis of Narration. Will keep on reading his work.

Table for Two by the American novelist Amor Towles | This was a beautiful piece of fiction, across multiple stories and time periods. He’s one of those fiction writers that makes every word count. It explores themes around relationships and identity (which I love as a therapist)…and much more. I still think his book A Gentleman in Moscow is one of the best pieces of fiction I have read.

So if you are looking for beautiful writing that challenges your thoughts and life. I highly recommend.