01 · Who Joy-Ann works with

Joy-Ann works with stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and family conflicts

Joy-Ann lists 9 specialisms. Specialisms are the subjects Joy-Ann chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Joy-Ann's own words

What Joy-Ann says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked in the mental health field for over 15 years providing an array of mental health services to clients. I currently provide therapeutic services for adults, couples, and families. I am also trained as a forensic interviewer and work with victims of Sexual Abuse. I also work with clients who are experiencing depression, anxiety, and personal crises. I have been trained in various psychotherapy models such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Trauma therapies. I make every effort to understand my client's needs and to help them work through challenging situations. I strongly believe in the value of therapy and the impact it has on helping heal past traumas and anxieties. I am here to support and guide you through the healing process so that you can live the life you choose to live. I also utilize faith-based methods for clients who prefer therapy from a Christian perspective. I believe that you are the expert on your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Joy-Ann Phillips-Schwartz, on the BetterHelp listing · read 10 Oct 2026

03 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Joy-Ann practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Joy-Ann's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Joy-Ann at this point.

2. Naming Joy-Ann specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Joy-Ann is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Joy-Ann.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

04 · Before you commit

3 questions worth asking Joy-Ann

Built from what Joy-Ann actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Joy-Ann's - Joy-Ann has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 15 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

05 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LICSW

Licensed in

District of Columbia

Licence

DC LICSW LC50080229

Licence number

LC50080229

Licence expires

31 Dec 2026

NPI

1497176978

Years in practice

15

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

06 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Joy-Ann's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 10 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Joy-Ann. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.