Hi, I’m Joey.
pronouns: he/him/they/them
I am a licensed clinical social worker and queer psychotherapist practicing in the state of Virginia. I am deeply passionate about working with the LGBTQIA+ community, and love working with folks across the gender and sexuality spectrums who have felt that if they don’t “keep it all together,” everything will fall apart. Oftentimes, people I work with have felt the need to hide parts of themselves to make others more comfortable, feeling as though they cannot speak their truth for fear of upsetting others or “rocking the boat.” Validation of your lived experience - your opinions, beliefs, and feelings - exists at the heart of my approach, because so many folks have experienced so much of its opposite.
People I have worked with have told me our time together feels like talking to a trusted friend, someone who is undoubtedly in their corner. This embodies the essence of my approach to psychotherapy; I aim for our relationship to be one of safety, security, and stability so that transformative change can take place not just in the therapy room, but in your day-to-day life.
My Experience…
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I graduated from Towson University with a bachelor’s in psychology in 2010, followed by over three years of work experience in a youth residential treatment center. I completed my Masters in Social Work (MSW) degree with honors at George Mason University in 2019. My internship experience includes clinically supporting individuals in a detoxification clinic and co-facilitating intensive outpatient group therapy for people struggling with substance use and co-occurring mental health needs. I worked for six years in a community mental health outpatient clinic providing case management and therapy to some of the most marginalized and vulnerable members of our community in Northern Virginia.
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I have co-facilitated a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills group, obtained certification in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD, and completed basic and advanced trainings in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR). I completed several workshops and ancillary trainings to further my DBT competency as well as implement pieces of modalities such as “parts work” (formally known as Internal Family Systems, or IFS) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
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Bachelors of Science in Psychology
Towson University, 2014Masters in Social Work - Clinical Specialization
George Mason University, 2019Virginia Board of Social Work Independent Clinical Licensure (#0904013739)
…and what it all means
If all of this feels a bit overwhelming, just know this - psychotherapy is a relational process between two human beings. The most important thing in the work we will do together is the strength, trust, and safety of our relationship. You are a human first and always, and my goal is to continually honor your agency, autonomy, and safety through this process.