For Joyce Strong, helping others is not only her passion, but her purpose.  From an early age, Joyce began her service to others by volunteering in her church and developing outreach programs in her community.  Her desire to understand people better and offer them professional assistance, led Joyce to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at I.U. Bloomington.  She continued her education and received her Master of Science degree from the School of Education in Counseling and Counselor Education at IUPUI.  Initially, she used her training to work in the academic setting providing both academic and personal counseling to students.  Joyce continued her education and received a certification in Functional Family Therapy (FFT Associates, IUB) which enabled her to provide professional therapeutic services to youth and their families both inside and outside of the detention setting.  Joyce continued her educational quest and obtained her licensure in Mental Health Counseling.  Joyce has experience providing both faith-based counseling and professional mental health counseling to individuals, couples, and families.  Joyce has experience with issues related to depression and anxiety, grief and loss, crisis intervention, relationship issues, spiritual exploration, and PTSD.  She also has the skills to provide help with issues related to self-esteem, effective communication, and conflict management.  Joyce strives to give the best of her skills and talents to those she serves.   She understands that addressing mental health needs can be an intimidating experience for her clients.  She acknowledges this discomfort by making the therapeutic relationship a priority throughout the time that sessions are being conducted.  She works hard to make her clients feel safe, validated, and protected, which allows them to freely share their concerns and so begin their journey toward restored health and healing.  CBT is one of the therapeutic modalities Joyce uses frequently along with other modalities deemed appropriate for the clients she serves.  She has an insatiable appetite for learning and growing in her field.  She loves attending mental health conferences which keep her aware of new innovations, techniques, and trainings that she can use to keep her skills sharp and relevant.  Joyce recently became Vice President of the Black Mental Health Professionals organization, which was founded in 2019.  When not working in her profession, Joyce enjoys reading, taking vacations, and spending time with her family.