our founder

Terry S. Smith is a dedicated mentor, counselor, and life coach with over 50 years of experience guiding individuals through life's deepest struggles, including shame, guilt, addiction, anger, despair, loss, and relational pain. Often described as a "Soul Medic," Terry provides emotional, spiritual, and psychological support to those seeking healing and transformation.

His lifelong commitment to helping others is grounded in a strong academic foundation, including a Master’s in Counseling, a Master’s in Theology, and a Doctorate in Personality, Religion, and Culture from Boston University. His career spans ten years of teaching and counseling in university settings, ten years of counseling and teaching in metropolitan Boston, and five years as the director of a counseling center.

For the past 25 years, Terry has been based in Nashville, Tennessee, where he continues his work through Coaching Life Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to personal healing and growth. His approach integrates evidence-based counseling techniques with deep relational engagement, empowering individuals to rewrite their personal narratives and live with greater purpose, freedom, and resilience.

Terry has been married to Charlotte Smith since 1965, and together they have built a legacy of love and wisdom through their four daughters and thirteen grandchildren. His work through Coaching Life Matters reflects his unwavering belief that every person’s story holds the potential for transformation and renewal.