Joelle Purdy, LICSW

Joelle Purdy is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) based in the District of Columbia who uses a warm, interactive style in sessions. She focuses on relationship concerns alongside grief, stress, anxiety, parenting, and life changes. Joelle aims to listen closely and help people name the emotions they’re carrying so they can move forward with clearer goals.

Joelle draws on client-centered techniques to keep conversations grounded in the client’s priorities. She also uses elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing to shape practical steps people can try between sessions. This mix helps with coping, managing symptoms, and decision-making when life feels overwhelming.

Her background includes work with anticipatory grief, loss, and end-of-life concerns, and she brings experience with caregiver stress and hospice-related issues. Joelle adapts how she talks with each person, focusing on what matters most to them rather than forcing a single method.

People come to Joelle for help with intimacy-related issues, blended family concerns, guilt and shame, or finding purpose after a major change. She also supports those facing aging and geriatric questions and multicultural issues that affect relationships and identity.

Joelle emphasizes respect, compassion, and empathy in her work. She guides clients toward clearer next steps, whether that means short-term coaching-style conversations or longer therapeutic work. Conversations are collaborative and geared to the client’s goals.

How Joelle's Approaches Fit into Online Therapy

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person's own goals and experiences. It emphasizes listening, empathy, and helping people make choices that feel right for them. This approach is useful when someone needs a safe space to sort through feelings about relationships, loss, or life transitions.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It breaks problems into manageable steps and offers practical exercises to test new behaviors. CBT can help with anxiety, stress, low mood, and patterns that get in the way of relationships.

Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention skills to notice thoughts and feelings without getting swept away by them. It can reduce reactivity, improve focus, and make it easier to respond rather than react during tense moments.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Joelle will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. That might mean focusing more on listening and exploration at first, then adding CBT tools or mindfulness practices as needed.

For practical matters, confirm what session formats Joelle currently offers before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around work, caregiving, or school by reducing travel time. It can also allow for shorter check-ins, longer planning conversations, or choosing an option that works better when bandwidth or quiet time is limited.