John Joyce, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

As I approach 50 years in clinical practice, the qualities of patience, empathy, and active listening have remained central to my work with others, though my style and approach to treatment have evolved alongside my own personal growth. I’ve found that growth lies in the ability to accept what is to boldly move beyond the obstacles in our path, letting go of absolute truths and embracing curiosity in the absence of certainty.

Therapy often begins when someone is caught in what I call one of life’s eddies- like water circling a rock, where the current stalls and creates a sense of “stuckness.” In these moments, transience can give the illusion of permanence, often accompanied by hopelessness, confusion, or dread. However, the objective of therapy is to gently challenge the belief that circumstances are as hopeless as they appear. Fulfillment can be found by embracing the middle ground between life’s peaks and valleys-engaging with the spaces in between, where sadness and joy, and ecstasy and tragedy, are woven together into the fabric of our journey.

At the heart of this work is creating a safe space for individuals to explore their unique journeys, with vulnerability-sharing, connecting, supporting, and renewing one another-serving as the bedrock. We are enriched when we allow ourselves to be truly known and engage in knowing others, for it is then that we realize we are far more alike than we are different.