- Years in practice
- 25
- Credentials
- LPC
- Licensed in
- New Jersey
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Family conflicts
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
About Joan
Joan Holmes is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in New Jersey with 25 years of experience. She offers calm, steady guidance for parents and individuals facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and relationship challenges. Joan uses straightforward listening and practical conversations to help people find clearer steps forward.
She draws on client-centered work that places the person's concerns at the center of each session. She also uses evidence-based methods such as cognitive behavioral techniques and approaches that focus on attachment and acceptance to address patterns that affect family life and parenting.
Background and approach
Sessions tend to be patient, respectful, and focused on what matters most to the person in the room. Joan has a background in community health and a master’s degree in applied clinical and counseling psychology. Her career includes work with nonprofit social service programs and hands-on work in home and group settings.
She has supported people through grief and bereavement and has worked with individuals affected by anxiety, ADHD, serious depression, and interpersonal conflict. She has experience supporting parents and caregivers navigating blended family issues, adoption and foster care concerns, and the stress that comes with caregiving and chronic illness.
Joan aims to build trust quickly so parents can talk about tough topics and try practical changes at home. Her approach emphasizes listening without judgment and helping clients set realistic goals. Sessions focus on clear steps, new skills, and small changes that can improve daily life and family relationships.
What Joan works with
Everything Joan lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Joan helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Depression
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Joan lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that fit parenting and family life online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for parents managing overwhelming emotions or major life changes. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people build more stable connections with their children and loved ones. This approach is often helpful when communication and bonding are central concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns, which can help with anxiety, depression, and parenting stress.Finding the right approach is a shared process. Joan will work together with each person to identify goals and try methods that match those goals. She adjusts tools and pace based on what resonates and what produces useful change in day-to-day life.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls let people work face to face when more interaction is useful, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging make it possible to get timely support between sessions or fit therapy into a busy day. These options help parents and caregivers maintain continuity of care while balancing family and work demands.
Questions people ask about Joan
What concerns does Joan commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, relationship and parenting concerns, as well as issues such as anger, self-esteem, career stress, and compassion fatigue.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is primarily client-centered with patient listening and respectful dialogue. She also integrates cognitive behavioral techniques and attachment-focused and acceptance-based ideas when those fit a person's needs.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of experience working in counseling and social service settings, including in-home and group home work and nonprofit programs.
Where is Joan licensed and located?
Joan is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in New Jersey and practices from that region.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the US work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Joan offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different schedules and preferences.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire, then schedule a session according to therapist availability.
More therapists for parents in New Jersey
All in New Jersey
Frances Merz
LPC
New Jersey 19 years in practice
Experienced counselor for change and parenting support
- Stress, Anxiety
- Self esteem
- Career
Clea Weiss
LCSW
New Jersey 25 years in practice
Practical therapy for parenting and relationships
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship
- Family
Michelle Castellani
LCSW
New Jersey 12 years in practice
Practical support for everyday parenting stress
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family
- Grief