Counseling

Guiding Your Journey to Mental Wellness

person meditating on the ground at sunset

My approach involves open conversation and is flexible and collaborative. I strive to provide a safe space where you will feel comfortable offering your thoughts. To help you understand my style of therapy, I have included some reflections on my specialty areas. See below for more information.

--JOSHUA NEAL, MA LMHC

a man sitting on a leather couch during a psychotherapy session with his hand over his head

Individual Psychotherapy

As a GATLA Certified Gestalt therapist, I provide therapy for a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, ADHD, and work-related stress. My approach is holistic, focusing on the here-and-now and exploring all aspects of your life with you.

Through this process you will gain deeper insight into yourself. I believe there’s immense relief in simply being taken seriously, and as your therapist, I am fully present with you, striving to understand your world as you experience it. I emphasize the importance of awareness, encouraging you to become more attuned to your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in real-time. Together, we’ll work toward your goals, whether that involves practical changes or a deeper exploration of patterns that shape your life.

What you do shapes who you become. By engaging in therapeutic conversations, you’re doing something new—practicing bringing heightened awareness to the present moment. It is through this unpredictable, yet transformative experience that you become more than you were before, expanding your capacity for growth and change.

man hunched over the desk and his laptop

Workplace Stress

Workplace pressure, corporate demands, and even abuse can deeply affect your mental health, relationships, and your ability to pursue meaningful life projects.

Spending 40+ hours a week in high-stress environments often leaves little room for personal growth or recovery. I understand the unique culture of these organizations and the toll they can take on their employees. I provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can offload the emotional and psychological burden your job may be placing on you. Together, we will focus on practical changes, such as developing coping skills to manage stress in real time and helping you gain clarity on how to navigate complex work relationships.

Workplace dynamics, particularly in high-performance environments, can be a significant source of stress. By identifying your personal style of relating, we’ll use your strengths to improve how you engage with colleagues and leadership. Sometimes, simply being heard can give you the space needed to better understand your situation and take proactive steps toward meaningful change.

Let’s work together to manage the challenges of your workplace, build resilience, and reclaim your capacity to create a more fulfilling life outside of work.

a man and a woman holding hands

Relationship Issues/Couples Counseling

I have been providing relationship counseling to individuals and couples for over 10 years. Relationships are often where we experience our greatest joys—and our greatest challenges. But relationship counseling isn’t just about "saving" a relationship; it's about understanding the deeper dynamics at play and fostering healthier ways to meet your needs.

My approach draws from years of study with Bob and Rita Resnick's Gestalt therapy model for couples, which emphasizes, identifying difference and gaining awareness of how each partner deals with difference. In this model, couples learn to engage in the present moment, taking responsibility for their emotions and actions without blaming or projecting onto one another. This creates a space for genuine connection, allowing each person to fully express themselves while learning to truly listen to their partner.

I also explore the influence of cultural dynamics, family of origin, and attachment styles to understand how past experiences shape your current relationships. This process helps you identify your needs and develop strategies for healthier ways of relating. Relationship issues go beyond romantic partnerships and include considerations such as ending a relationship, grieving a loss, or feeling stuck in connections with friends, family, or colleagues. I also draw on the Gottman Method to help increase kindness, connection, and effective communication, and I’m mindful of coercive control and power dynamics related to race, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and career roles.

Through this therapeutic process, you’ll gain greater awareness of your relational patterns, allowing for more fulfilling and authentic connections with the people who matter most in your life.

woman sitting on the ground and leaning against the couch with her hands on her chest

Anxiety & Depression

I provide therapy around many general issues such as anxiety, depression, anger management, ADHD, and work stress. I am interested in exploring all aspects of your life with you. As I get to know you better, there is also an opportunity for you to come to know yourself better. I believe there is great relief that can come from simply being taken seriously. I take you seriously, and do my best to understand your world as you experience it. I want to join you and work toward the goals you have for this process. This can happen by working on practical change as well as by looking at behaviors and emotions. What you do shapes who you become.  In therapeutic conversation you are doing something new, it is through this unpredictable and infinite experience that you become more than you were before. 

four teenagers sitting on the ledge looking out into the ocean

College Students/Young Adults

With over 17 years of experience working with young people, I have supported individuals through significant life transitions in a variety of settings, including inpatient and outpatient programs, schools, homes, and community environments. My approach is informal, engaging, and pragmatic, designed to help young adults feel supported and take action in their lives and relationships.

For college students and those entering the workforce, I provide a supportive space to navigate the pressures of academic life, career uncertainty, and the transition to independence. I help young adults strengthen their emotional intelligence, build self-confidence, and better manage stress as they embark on their personal and professional journeys.

hiker with a backpack on crossing a bridge

Life Transitions

When adjusting to challenges and changes outside your control you may wish somebody or something could tell you exactly what to do. The quest for certainty can be very seductive but is often fruitless. Instead, I focus on helping you develop a better relationship with your internal compass, and increase self-awareness, and confidence. This can mean addressing and overcoming shame, anxiety, and fear. What you need is already within you. Discover yourself and you can go anywhere. I believe the human spirit is resilient and, that if properly nurtured provides healing, purpose, and self-respect. This process can be frustrating and difficult, but you are not alone. Be it a divorce, the death of a loved one, a career change, or graduation, the only constant in life is change. I focus on developing your strengths so you can feel confident in your abilities to navigate all life's transitions

a woman kneeling in nature with her hands in prayer mode

Religious Experience/Spirituality

As the number of people identifying as "nones"—those who no longer affiliate with any specific religion—continues to grow, the human need for connection, reciprocity, community, ritual, and meaning remains.

Whether or not you choose to embrace spirituality, these needs are universal. I work with individuals across the full spiritual spectrum, including those who may no longer feel connected to traditional religious practices. I am particularly interested in supporting those whose childhood experiences with religion have made it difficult to meet these needs. It can be hard to admit that you long for aspects of community or ritual when those same systems have caused pain or disillusionment. I help individuals explore new ways to connect with spirituality, despite negative past experiences, and find meaningful ways to engage in community, ritual, and spiritual growth.

For those who find spirituality central to their lives, I assist in deepening that connection and further developing spiritual practices. Additionally, I work with couples from different faith backgrounds, helping them navigate the complex role that religion/ideology and spirituality can play in their relationships.

Whether you're seeking healing from past religious harm or looking to enhance your spiritual development, I provide a compassionate, open-minded space to explore these important aspects of your life.

Start Your Healing Journey Today!