Dr. Joy McElveen, LCSW

From the very start of life each person embarks on an unfolding story of challenges, setbacks, and small victories, and Dr. Joy McElveen frames her work around that ongoing journey. She often evokes the imagery of classic heroic tales to describe how people face obstacles, encounter supporters and opposers, and keep moving forward. Her clinical perspective centers on cultivating hope as a practical engine for change - a guiding spark that helps people reframe setbacks, build new coping strategies, and pursue meaningful goals.

Dr. McElveen draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy as a foundation for her practice, integrating mindfulness practices, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy techniques, and solution-focused strategies to help clients shift thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. She emphasizes collaboration, asking clients to do the active work while she provides structure, skills, and encouragement as a supportive partner in the therapeutic process. She describes her role as one of the characters who supports each person in their personal quest for change.

Dr. McElveen is a licensed clinical social worker - LCSW - practicing in New Orleans, LA. She earned a BA in sociology from Louisiana State University (now UNO), a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a doctorate from Howard University School of Social Work. She holds certifications in each of the treatment approaches she uses and applies them to help people facing grief, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, trauma, addictions, stress, and other life transitions.

Therapeutic approaches and online care with Dr. McElveen

Dr. Joy McElveen uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy to teach practical skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and tolerating distress in everyday life. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is used to clarify personal values and build committed action toward what matters most, helping clients make changes while accepting difficult thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness Therapy is woven throughout her work to increase present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity, which can support better emotion regulation and clearer decision making.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and Dr. McElveen treats that choice as a collaborative process. She works with each person to consider goals, preferences, and current challenges, and adapts techniques from these approaches so the plan fits the individual rather than forcing a single method.

Online therapy formats - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - offer flexibility for scheduling and make it easier to maintain continuity during life changes or when in-person visits are difficult. These options allow licensed professionals and therapists to provide consistent support, skill coaching, and regular check-ins while accommodating varied routines and needs.