Joia Felton, LCPC

“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.” – Brené Brown

HEALING WORK

Therapy with me: My approach to therapy is humanistic and holistic, and centers on building a strong relationship with my clients. Cultivating a warm, authentic, caring relationship is at the core of my work. At the same time, I will challenge you when needed. I believe we are inherently motivated toward personal growth and that therapy with me can serve as a safe environment for that growth. 

I consider you to be the expert on your life and your lived experiences, so therapy with me includes a collaborative approach to your goals. Finally, I understand that our environments impact our mental health. Therapy with me may include consideration of how gender roles, family structures, education/workplace, political systems, marginalization, or cultural values have influenced you. 

Roles that inform my work: I am a White, queer, highly empathetic, cisgender woman. I acknowledge the impact of my intersecting identities, and I work to practice cultural humility and create a safe space for all clients.

I feel informed and knowledgeable about: mood disorders, anxiety and panic disorders, stress responses, family systems, complex trauma, queer community, attachment style/relational issues, life transitions. I incorporate techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, feminist therapy, solution focused therapy, and internal family systems. 

Areas I can support you include building self-care habits, improving communication and interpersonal skills, and increasing capacity to deal with overwhelming emotions.

I work best with clients who: are willing to engage in difficult work, strive for insight, learn to allow painful emotions and to disrupt maladaptive patterns, and seek genuine connection. I enjoy providing another opportunity for healing to clients who have had past negative experiences in therapy. I work with adults, young adults, and motivated teens. 

I am not a good clinical fit for clients who: are looking for highly structured therapy, are resistant to trying new things, or expect therapy to “fix” them.

What makes me unique: I am a real person in and out of the therapy office. I use humor, bring in cultural references to my sessions, and may even let a cat share my lap during a telehealth session. In showing up as my true self, I invite you to do the same. 

Additionally, I am committed to working with broader support networks where you and I believe that may be helpful. I am happy to provide additional resources or to refer you to a psychiatrist, nutritionist, or other professionals.

LEARNING AND GROWING

I recently completed Complex Trauma Training and I have begun my training in Internal Family Systems. I am continuing my knowledge of Parts work by reading No Bad Parts by IFS founder Richard Schwartz. I am passionate about body acceptance and combating diet culture, which I fuel through a steady stream of resources (Health at Every Size, Intuitive Eating, Maintenance Phase). In addition, I turn to workshops and research articles to educate myself when I encounter something new. 

RESILIENCE BUILDING

Mindfulness, deep friendships, making time for art and play, and appreciating nature are some ways that I nourish myself. I am a strong proponent of the healing power of rest.

Fun Stuff

To relax, I enjoy listening to podcasts, practicing yoga, and spending quality time with family. I dabble in a variety of creative hobbies, from embroidery to Dungeons and Dragons. If I were a kind of ice cream, I would be raspberry sorbet with dark chocolate chunks.

EDUCATION 

Kenyon College, Psychology, Modern Languages

Johns Hopkins University, Clinical Mental Health Counseling