MEET JOY · ONLINE THERAPY IN MISSOURI & ARKANSAS

Hi, I’m Joy.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified EMDR Therapist.

Choosing a therapist is a personal decision. I help adults navigating anxiety, OCD, trauma, PTSD, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and people-pleasing break free from patterns that leave them feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or never quite good enough.

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How I Work

Joy Gillespie, MSW, LCSW — Certified EMDR Therapist

— MSW, LCSW — Certified EMDR Therapist — Licensed in MO & AR — 15+ Years Experience — Telehealth Only

A LITTLE ABOUT ME

Named Joy, I’ve spent my career helping people find theirs again.

My parents named me Joy, and for a long time I thought of it as just a name. Working with anxious, overwhelmed adults changed that. So much of what brings people to therapy isn’t a lack of effort — my clients are some of the hardest-working, most conscientious people I know. It’s that somewhere along the way, anxiety, perfectionism, or old experiences taught them to stop trusting themselves. Helping someone rebuild that trust is, quite literally, helping them get their joy back.

I’ve been a therapist since 2011, and in private practice for ten of those years. My work draws on EMDR, IFS, and ERP — approaches that go beneath surface coping skills to the root of what’s keeping you stuck — always at a pace that respects what you can hold. Sessions are active and collaborative: we will talk, and we will also work.

Outside of sessions, I’m married, and our house is happily run by a Shiba Inu and two cats. I write, too — my books You Are Enough, Koala’s Notes, and Moving Forward grew out of the same conviction that shapes my practice: you are not broken, and change is possible.

My goal in every session is the same: to help you feel more confident, less controlled by anxiety and old patterns, and more at ease with yourself.

— Joy Gillespie, MSW, LCSW

WHAT I DO

My areas of expertise include:

  • perfectionism (high standards for self and/or others)

  • imposter syndrome (feeling like you are “a fraud”)

  • performance anxiety (in professionals, students, artists, athletes, etc.)

  • people pleasing (struggling with setting and reinforcing boundaries)

  • not feeling good enough about yourself

  • interpersonal co-dependency

  • obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviors

  • anxiety issues (health anxiety, generalized anxiety, worry, panic, etc.)

  • “unfinished business” from the past (single or complex trauma, PTSD)

  • burnout (at home, work, school, etc.)

    trauma (single event trauma, chronic trauma, PTSD, etc.)

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HOW I DO IT

VALUE

The therapeutic relationship with my clients is my No. 1 value in my practice. Therefore, my top priority is to provide a safe, confidential and non-judgmental space for you to work through whatever issues that are bringing you to therapy.

PHILOSOPHY

I firmly believe that we as human are born with all the emotional resources needed to get through life struggles. However, due to trauma, when we have a hard time accessing our inner resources, we tend to get stuck in pain and suffering, causing anxiety, depression, anger, etc.

If we only focus on symptom management on the surface level, the outcome tends to be short-term with high relapse rate. So my goal is to not only provide you with the tools to manage current symptoms, but most importantly, to help you identify and address the root cause leading up to present concerns so that you can achieve long-term healing.

APPROACH

My approach is experiential, compassionate and holistic. Our work will heavily focus on helping you deepen and improve your relationship with your inner self so that you can gain insight into why you are the way you are. Working on our inner self can feel uncomfortable emotionally at times, but researches show it brings long-term inner peace and healing.

Even though I have helped many clients reach their wellness goals, I never claim to be the wise woman on top of the mountain, as I firmly believe each client is their own expert. Therefore, we will work collaboratively as a team, and work at a space that feels comfortable for you.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Master of Social Work (MSW), Washington University in St. Louis, 2010

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), State of Missouri (#2013037931)

    Licenses Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), State of Arkansas (#12663-C)

  • Certified EMDR Psychotherapist, EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)

  • Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Level 1 & 2

    Internal Family Systems (IFS), Level 1

    Mindfulness Self-compassion (MSC)

    Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

    Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

    Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    PCIT Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM)

  • National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

    EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)

PUBLICATIONS

  • You Are Enough

  • Koala's Notes (1st Edition)

  • Koala's Notes (2nd Edition)

  • Moving Forward (1st Edition)

  • Moving Forward (2nd Edition)

Interested in getting started?

Schedule your FREE 30-minute consultation meeting today to ask questions about therapy, learn more about my services, and determine if I am the right therapist for you.

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