Joy Gumm, LCSW

Joy Gumm is a Wisconsin-licensed clinical social worker with 20 years of professional experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, grief, and changes in life. She works with concerns around relationships, family tensions, parenting strain, anger, and compassion fatigue. Joy aims to treat everyone with respect and sensitivity.

Her approach is practical and tailored. She listens first, then shapes conversations and plans to fit each person’s situation. Sessions focus on clear goals and skills that can be used between meetings. She draws on client-centered methods to keep the client’s experience central to therapy.

Joy also uses techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify unhelpful thinking and try small, testable changes. Motivational interviewing helps when someone feels stuck and needs to find their own reasons to shift habits or take action. These approaches are used together to match what the person needs in the moment.

She has supported people dealing with chronic illness, caregiver stress, aging and geriatric concerns, isolation, and veteran or armed forces issues. Communication breakdowns and forgiveness work are other areas she addresses. Her style is warm and direct, focusing on practical next steps.

Starting therapy can feel hard, and Joy aims to make that first move easier. She helps people find a pace that fits their life and supports them as they try new ways of coping and connecting.

How these approaches guide online work

Client-centered therapy puts the person’s experience first. The therapist listens closely, follows the client’s lead, and helps shape goals that feel meaningful. This approach is helpful for people who need a supportive space to sort out what matters most.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and trying small changes in behavior. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress because it gives concrete steps to test between sessions. Motivational interviewing helps when someone feels stuck about making changes by exploring personal reasons for moving forward.

Deciding which approach to use is a shared process. The therapist will work together with the client to pick methods that fit their needs, goals, and comfort level. That may mean mixing elements from different approaches as progress unfolds.

Session logistics should be confirmed before booking since formats are not specified in the biography. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around work, caregiving, or medical needs. It can also allow shorter check-ins, remove travel time, and offer options for clients who prefer not to be on camera for every meeting.