Clinical Expertise

Joy Gage is a Licensed Certified Social Worker in the state of MA. Joy has a strong background in crisis intervention, and treats adults and adolescents struggling with mood and anxiety disorders, OCD, trauma-related disorders, life transitions, and psychotic spectrum disorders. She utilizes evidence-based techniques including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI) to support and empower clients to meet their treatment goals and create meaning in their lives. Joy takes a person-in-environment approach to her clinical work, emphasizing the role of identity and environmental context in developing a sense of well-being.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Prior to CPG, Joy spent years working with low-income and unhoused community members seeking access to healthcare and social services. She provided case management and counseling for immigrants impacted by law enforcement and emergency services for homeless folks in psychiatric crisis. Joy aims to create a safe space to honor and explore sociocultural identities, such as class, race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, religious faith, and other backgrounds her clients hold. She appreciates intersectionality and is committed to acknowledging and addressing the unique relationship between systemic, social inequality and every individual.

Training

Joy received her B.S. in Human Development from Cornell University where she worked in Translational Research for three years studying the impact of interpersonal connection on childhood development. Joy then worked at McLean Hospital’s Behavioral Health Partial Hospitalization Program where she ran therapeutic and skills-based groups focused on teaching CBT and DBT skills. She earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work at Boston College, where she specialized in Mental Health and completed internships in community outreach and with the Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST). Joy has also served as a Clinical Social Work Float Associate at McLean Hospital, where she provided short-term therapy and case management across 6 inpatient units.

Education

• Cornell University, BS in Human Development
• Boston College, MSW in Clinical Social Work with a concentration in Mental Health

Areas of Expertise

Depression, Anxiety, OCD, Mood Disorders, LGBTQ+ Issues, Life Transitions, athletic identity, Trauma-related Disorders, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills, Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Hobbies

Joy enjoys being active outdoors, and you can usually find her hiking, climbing, biking, or jogging in her free time. After 18 years as a competitive student-athlete, she maintains a love of exercise and great food.