About Me
Thank you for visiting my profile!
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and I am licensed in the states of Alabama and North Carolina. I do not offer couples or family therapy virtually at this time, however, I am systemically trained and I believe the exploration of relational dynamics is an integral part of the therapeutic process.
I work with individuals facing issues including but not limited to: PTSD/trauma, adjustment/transitional stress, anxiety/depression, interpersonal/relational, and sociocultural/identity struggles. With over 27 combined years of working in the mental health field in a variety of public, private, and virtual settings, I integrate systemic, holistic, neuro-biopsychosocial and, traditional psychotherapeutic approaches to assist you in your journey toward emotional and relational healing and balance. My style is relaxed, reflective, casual, conversational, compassionate, and creative. I am naturally empathic and intuitive and my hope is that these traits assist with alleviating anxiety about the counseling experience.
If you have any questions about me and my approach, I invite you to ask in order for you to make an informed decision about what is best for you on this brave healing journey you have chosen to pursue. Meanwhile, you may also check out my website www.valleysedge.com for more information about me and my approach.
Helpful info:
*I have a pretty quick response time if you send messages. However, messages will most likely be returned in the early morning and late evening hours (Central/US time). Although I may respond over a weekend, I cannot ensure that will always be the case.
*The availability you see is not the only availability I have. Because I do have a private practice in addition to working with BetterHelp, I needed to create an availability calendar that would not likely lead to an accidental double booking. Feel free to ask about a time slot that is not listed.
*I absolutely love what I do! Counseling is not and has never been just a "job" for me. By nature, I am a helper and an encourager. I love empowering others to find and be the best version of themselves and to learn skills in the area of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-advocacy while still on a path of self-improvement, growth, awareness, and getting out of the rut of a comfort zone that has interfered with individual, relational, or career success. I appreciate that BetterHelp allows for opportunities to engage/encourage/empower/provide psychoeducation in between sessions that is often difficult to do in traditional therapy settings.
*BetterHelp has journaling features for the clients and worksheet features for the therapist that can be assigned. There may be times I might assign some in-between session "homework", though not always in journaling/worksheet form. Sometimes it's an observational task or an opportunity to implement a skill we might be exploring in sessions. This will help keep you focused, prepared, and possibly less emotionally overwhelmed about the inner work you are doing by having an outlet of expression that still accomplishes the inner goals you have for yourself. It's also a great way for you to feel successful and empowered! Any task or homework or expressive outlet assigned will depend on your unique situation and the goals you have set for yourself.
Again, if you have any questions for me to assist you with making an informed decision about your counseling experience and therapeutic goals, please do not hesitate to ask.
I look forward to working with you!
Specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
LGBT , Relationship issues , Family conflicts , Grief , Intimacy-related issues , Sleeping disorders , Parenting issues , Career difficulties , Bipolar disorder , Compassion fatigue , ADHD , Abandonment , Aging and Geriatric Issues , Read more...
Clinical approaches:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gottman Method, Mindfulness Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
Services Offered
Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video
Licensing
LMFT #419 (Expires: 2022-12-31)
LMFT #1337 (Expires: 2022-07-01)
Reviews
Joy is incredibly intuitive, a great listener and give actionable feedback to help you deal with real life struggles, both internal and external.
Joy gets me. Despite our differences in cultural background and us working across time zones, she just gets it. I have worked with a number of therapists, but this is my first time when I feel like I don’t have to do so much work explaining everything. Joy was able to give me great insights from my very first session. She is also prompt and reliable. I’ve had a great experience with Joy and would recommend her to everyone!