Joy Molaro

Hi there. My name is Joy Molaro, and I am a licensed professional clinical counselor. I love incorporating creative and holistic approaches into talk therapy, including art, writing, tarot/oracle cards, movement, and breathwork practices. Yes, we'll talk, and yes, we'll move and get creative. And if you'd prefer just to talk, that's alright, too. Clients who work with me appreciate these things, combined with my compassionate and down-to-earth approach.

My approach

I utilize Narrative, Relational, Feminist, and Somatic frameworks in my practice. What does this mean, you ask? It means that therapy utilizes your strengths and values as anchor points to "the work." It understands that we are all navigating the stories we tell about ourselves and the world and that these stories are rooted in our relationships and our social-cultural contexts. We cannot heal what we’ve not yet felt and create new habit loops until we feel safe to do so. Therapy, and the therapeutic relationship, is a space to deepen our understanding of ourselves and find the courage to take steps toward more a more aligned life.

My focus

I work with children, teens, and young adults (up to age 25). People who see me are thinking too much, getting overwhelmed by their emotions, or feeling uninspired, stuck, and lacking spark and creativity. I most often support clients with managing depression, anxiety, high sensitivity, and other forms of neurodivergence or who are struggling with social relationships, navigating specific changes or a cluster of changes, and learning about oneself and one's identity (including gender and sexuality).

My communication style

I am often described as "down to earth," and my approach to therapy is no different. I tend to be somewhere in the middle of the "directive-not directive" spectrum. I value deep listening and offer support and validation, AND I believe that sometimes therapy is work and we need to learn new skills or take committed actions. I tend to weave skill-building into sessions as the opportunity arises naturally and to build on strengths that you already possess or value.

My journey to mental healthcare

I became a therapist by way of being an artist. Early in my career, I worked with communities to create art pieces representing collective experiences. Through this process, I came to learn that both relationships and art could be a catalyst for healing. My best, most rewarding work tended to be in the one-on-one interactions with community members, which led me to go back to graduate school to become a therapist, where I felt I could be of the most service. I am drawn to therapy because I know firsthand that sometimes resiliency is best fostered in the context of a healthy relationship. I first attended therapy myself as a preteen with then-undiagnosed neurodivergence, and it was tremendously helpful in feeling seen, heard, understood, and supported. I would only hope to offer you or your child a similar experience.

My goals for you

I believe that goal setting should always be collaborative and that only you can truly describe your suffering and what you'd like to see change. However, I will provide feedback and support in translating what change can "look like" into practice. How will we know when you've succeeded? What will signal us that you are doing better? I also utilize feedback-oriented practices along the way to track how it is going both in and out of therapy, which gives you a voice to express concerns about the therapy process and me a chance to adjust how we're doing things to better support you.

My first session with you

During my first session, I will go over consent information, giving you full disclosure of my processes and any limitations to confidentiality. If I am seeing your child, this happens with a parent and child together for the first portion of session one. From there, we will spend time getting to know one another and, if it is comfortable, start to gently explore what brings you in. This slow process gives us a chance to build a relationship and tends to put you (or your kiddo) at ease.