Joshua Elliott
I’m a licensed professional clinical counselor and counselor educator with more than a decade of experience in mental health, supervision, and counselor training. I work primarily with adults navigating stress, grief, identity, relationships, life transitions, burnout, and the effects of difficult past experiences. My approach is relational, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that counseling should make room for the complexity of real life. I tend to be warm, thoughtful, straightforward, and curious. I’m not the kind of therapist who simply sits back and nods—I ask questions, offer perspective, and work alongside you to better understand patterns, possibilities, and what might actually be helpful. My practice is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and affirming of LGBTQ+ and other diverse identities and experiences. I especially enjoy working with people who are thoughtful and self-aware but may feel stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure what comes next. You do not need to have everything figured out before coming to counseling. We can start with where you are.
First session
Clients can expect the first session to be a thoughtful, collaborative conversation about what brings them to counseling and what they hope might be different. We will talk about current concerns, important relationships and experiences, relevant history, strengths, and the broader context shaping their life. I also use the first session to begin identifying patterns, priorities, and possible goals for our work together. You do not need to arrive with everything figured out or know exactly what you want from counseling. Part of the process is making sense of that together. My goal is for clients to leave the first session with a clearer sense of what we might focus on, how I approach counseling, and whether the relationship feels like a good fit. From there, we can begin developing a direction for counseling that feels meaningful, realistic, and sustainable.
Strengths
One of the strengths I bring to sessions is that I am engaged and active in the counseling process. I will give you room to think, feel, and make sense of your experience, but I am not likely to sit silently for most of the session. I ask questions, offer observations, help connect patterns, and, when it seems useful, respectfully challenge assumptions or ways of thinking that may be keeping you stuck. My background has allowed me to see counseling from several different perspectives—as a clinician, counselor educator, and clinical supervisor. Those experiences have taught me to pay attention not only to what someone is experiencing internally, but also to the relationships, identities, environments, and systems that shape their lives. I try not to reduce complicated experiences to simple explanations or quick fixes. I also bring curiosity, humor when appropriate, and a willingness to have honest conversations about difficult things. My goal is for sessions to feel supportive without becoming passive. I want clients to feel understood, while also knowing that I will help them look more closely at patterns, consider different perspectives, and work toward meaningful change.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is an adult who may be feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, uncertain, burned out, or simply aware that something in life needs to change. They may be navigating stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, relationships, identity concerns, family history, life transitions, or patterns that have become difficult to carry on their own. I especially enjoy working with LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse adults, as well as people navigating identity, relationships, family expectations, life transitions, or environments where it may be difficult to fully be themselves. I also work with clients of all identities who are looking for thoughtful, affirming, and collaborative therapy.
Origin story
I was drawn to counseling because I have always been interested in how people make sense of their experiences, relationships, and the circumstances that shape their lives. Early in my career, working with young people and families in community mental health made that interest much more concrete. I saw how rarely a person’s struggles exist in isolation—family relationships, identity, loss, stress, community, and access to support all matter. Those experiences helped me realize that counseling was work I wanted to continue doing. I appreciated being able to sit with people during complicated periods of their lives while also helping them identify patterns, make decisions, and find ways forward that felt realistic for them. That same curiosity eventually led me into counselor education and supervision, where I spent many years training and supporting other counselors. Returning to direct practice has brought me back to the part of the profession I value most: having thoughtful, honest conversations with people about what is happening in their lives and helping them create meaningful change
Ongoing work together
Our ongoing work will be collaborative, active, and shaped by what matters most to you. Sessions may include exploring patterns, relationships, emotions, past experiences, identity, and the broader context of your life. We may also focus on practicing new ways of responding, strengthening boundaries, making difficult decisions, or finding approaches that feel more intentional and sustainable. Progress does not always look like a dramatic breakthrough. Often, it shows up in smaller but meaningful ways: noticing patterns sooner, responding differently to situations that once felt automatic, communicating more clearly, feeling more grounded in your decisions, or having greater clarity about what you need and value. We will check in regularly about what is helping, what may need to shift, and whether counseling is moving in a useful direction. The goal is not perfection, but meaningful change that carries into your life outside of sessions.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help clients notice how their thoughts, feelings, and actions influence one another. We may look at patterns that keep showing up, question beliefs that no longer feel helpful, and try new ways of responding. I use these tools in a practical, flexible way that fits the client’s real-life experiences.
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
I pay attention to how culture, identity, family, community, and life experiences shape the way clients see themselves and the world around them. I try not to make assumptions about what matters to someone. Instead, I ask questions, stay curious, and make space for each client’s values, experiences, and perspective to guide our work.
Trauma-Informed Care
I use a trauma-informed approach by paying attention to how past experiences may affect a client’s sense of safety, trust, relationships, and responses in the present. I move at a pace that feels manageable, emphasize choice and collaboration, and avoid assuming that clients need to revisit difficult experiences before they are ready.
Gender-affirming therapy
I use a gender-affirming approach by creating space for clients to explore identity, relationships, self-understanding, and the impact of others’ expectations without assuming there is one right outcome. I follow the client’s lead, respect how they describe themselves, and focus on helping them make choices that feel authentic and meaningful.
Motivational Interviewing
I use motivational interviewing when clients feel unsure, stuck, or pulled in different directions about making a change. Rather than telling someone what they should do, I help them sort through what matters to them, explore their concerns, and identify their own reasons and readiness for moving forward.
Location
Virtual sessions