Ellen Walker , LICSW

Ellen Walker is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) practicing in the District of Columbia with three decades of experience in mental health and child welfare. She brings a pragmatic, optimistic perspective to therapy and has worked across settings with individuals, couples, families, and children on a wide range of concerns including trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, addiction, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. Ellen combines experience with an eclectic clinical style, drawing on evidence-informed methods to address the specific needs presented by each person.

She commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Trauma-Focused approaches to help clients develop skills, set achievable goals, and process difficult experiences. Sessions are typically scheduled once weekly for 45 minutes, with an initial period spent building rapport and clarifying the issues that brought a person to therapy. Ellen views the therapeutic relationship as a collaborative partnership that rests on mutual trust, respectful communication, and shared commitment to the work.

Ellen adapts to the communication methods that suit each person, offering video, phone, and messaging options and maintaining a flexible schedule that often includes mornings and weekends. Her practice emphasizes practical coping strategies and thoughtful exploration to support people navigating family challenges, caregiving stress, identity concerns, and emotional recovery.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Ellen Walker frequently draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify and modify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, a practical approach often used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. She also uses Solution-Focused Therapy, which emphasizes clients' strengths and concrete steps to reach short-term goals, making it useful for life transitions, parenting, and relationship issues. Motivational Interviewing is another component of her work - a collaborative, goal-oriented method designed to strengthen a person’s own motivation for change, often applied in situations involving addiction, ambivalence, or readiness for behavior change.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Ellen works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best align with their goals, preferences, and circumstances. She tailors techniques over time based on progress and feedback to create a fit that feels practical and respectful.

Online therapy makes these approaches accessible through flexible formats such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options allow for scheduling that fits work and family life, support continuity during transitions, and make it easier to connect with licensed professionals from different locations while maintaining a consistent course of care.