About Ellen
Ellen Walker is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) based in the District of Columbia. She brings 30 years of experience in mental health and child welfare to help people facing stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief, and relationship struggles. Ellen writes and speaks plainly; she aims to make the first steps less overwhelming and to create a steady, respectful partnership.
Ellen draws on several practical therapy methods to match each person’s needs.
Background and approach
Early sessions focus on understanding what brought someone to therapy and on setting clear, manageable goals. Sessions are typically 45 minutes and often begin weekly so progress can be tracked and adjusted as needed. Her work combines client-centered listening with techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy to address thoughts and behaviors that get in the way of daily life.
She also uses solution-focused strategies to identify small, concrete changes that can lead to improvement. Motivational interviewing helps when people feel stuck or uncertain about change. Ellen has long experience supporting people through trauma, grief, addiction, family conflict, caregiver stress, and life transitions.
She says the therapeutic relationship is a two-way process built on honesty, respect, and steady effort. That partnership is central to how she works. Sessions are offered by video, phone, live chat, or text messaging, and she is open to international clients.
Ellen often meets people by video at first so they can get to know one another, then shifts formats if another option works better.
Approach-driven care delivered online
Client-centered therapy focuses on understanding each person's experience and priorities, giving space for people to talk while the therapist reflects and helps clarify what matters most. It works well when someone needs empathy and a steady listening presence.Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts and behaviors keep problems going and teaches practical skills to change those patterns. This approach can help with anxiety, depression, ADHD-related challenges, and daily functioning. Motivational interviewing is a conversational style that supports people who feel uncertain about change by drawing out their own reasons and strengths.
Ellen will collaborate with each person to choose or combine approaches that fit their goals and preferences. She views the treatment plan as a joint decision and checks in regularly to see what’s helping and what needs to shift.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, which makes it easier to fit work or family schedules. Video is helpful for building rapport early on, phone sessions require less bandwidth, live chat can work for quick check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing contact between visits. These options let people keep therapy consistent even when life is busy.
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
- Career difficulties
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Grief
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Post-traumatic stress
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 30 years
- Licensed
- District of Columbia
- Languages
- English
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