About Joy
Dr. Joy McElveen helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, addictions, relationship strain, trauma, and major life changes. She is Dr.
Joy McElveen, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) practicing in Louisiana with 35 years of experience. She focuses on finding practical ways forward when everyday coping feels hard. Her approach is hands-on and steady.
She draws from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, along with mindfulness and motivational strategies.
How Joy works
Sessions aim to clarify what matters, build small skills, and try new behaviors between meetings. Joy emphasizes hope and gradual change. She helps people notice patterns of thinking and behaving, and then test small shifts that can lead to better days.
Work in sessions is collaborative - she listens, offers reframes, and practices skills alongside the person she is supporting. Her background includes a doctorate from Howard University School of Social Work, a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, and a BA in sociology from Louisiana State University. She holds LCSW credentials in Connecticut and Louisiana.
Typical issues she addresses include caregiver stress, aging and geriatric concerns, workplace problems, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress, isolation, and feelings of emptiness or guilt. Therapy aims to help people manage symptoms, reconnect with values, and build routines that fit their real life.
Joy lists 7 ways of working on the entry:
What Joy works with
The areas below are the ones Joy selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- 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
Training and background
| Register | LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 35 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Louisiana |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Therapeutic approaches and online options
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and commit to small, doable steps that match those values. It is useful for anxiety, low mood, and situations where motivation feels stuck. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical exercises to shift unhelpful patterns. CBT can help with depression, anxiety, and workplace or social stressors. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on building emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills to handle strong feelings and relationship strain.Finding the best fit is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, try approaches in session, and adjust methods based on what works and what feels right. Clients and the therapist choose techniques together and track progress over time.
Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video lets the therapist and client work face to face when schedules align. Phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or text messaging can be helpful for brief check-ins or practice between sessions. These options make it easier to fit regular work on goals into a busy life.
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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