About Joy
Dr. Joy McElveen helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, anger, low self-esteem, depression, addictions, and relationship struggles. She explains things plainly and focuses on practical steps people can use between sessions.
Joy draws on decades of clinical experience to guide gentle change and steady progress. Her approach centers on building hope and momentum. She talks with clients about how thoughts and emotions shape behavior and looks for small shifts that make daily life easier.
Background and approach
Sessions aim to identify clear goals, practice new skills, and track what works over time. Joy uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy along with mindfulness, acceptance and commitment techniques, and solution-focused ideas. She frames these methods as tools clients try out together with her, not one-size-fits-all rules.
The therapist encourages active participation and homework that fits each person's routine. Joy Smith McElveen holds a Doctor of Social Work from Howard University School of Social Work and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. She is a licensed clinical social worker and brings 35 years of experience to her practice in Louisiana.
In sessions she often combines skill-building with reflective conversation. The focus is on practical ways to manage emotional pain, handle life transitions, and reduce symptoms of trauma, post-traumatic stress, social anxiety, and seasonal mood shifts. Her work also addresses caregiver stress, aging concerns, workplace problems, and issues that come after disasters.
People who want steady, plainspoken guidance and tools to change habits may find her style a good fit. She aims to stand alongside each person as they test new approaches and move toward clearer priorities.
How online therapy and targeted approaches work together
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people name values and take small steps toward them, even when hard feelings remain. It can be useful for anxiety, low mood, and coping with life changes by focusing on meaningful action. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect and teaches practical skills to shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. It often helps with social anxiety, depression, and workplace stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) adds skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, which can be helpful for intense emotions and relationship challenges.Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist works collaboratively to try methods that fit a person's goals and preferences. Clients and the therapist assess what helps and adjust the plan as needed so work in sessions feels useful and realistic.
Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, which makes therapy more flexible. Video lets people use visual cues and longer conversations. Phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging are useful for brief check-ins, skill reminders, or when a written format feels easier. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule and to use tools between sessions.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Anger management
Also listed
- Addictions
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Post-traumatic stress
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 35 years
- Licensed
- Louisiana, Connecticut
- Languages
- English
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