February 28, 2025 • 32 mins
What if mental health care could be as inviting as a spa day? We sit down with Joy Ewing, a trailblazer in holistic therapy and owner of Joy Life Counseling, to uncover how she's transforming mental health support for the BIPOC community in Aurora, Colorado. Joy shares her groundbreaking approaches, including emotionally focused therapy (EFT), EMDR for trauma, and alternative therapies like neurofeedback and yoga, all tailored to meet the unique needs of her clients. Her practice stands out by offering specialized support groups, such as those for Black mothers, and community-building activities that foster an inclusive environment.
Join us as we unravel the stigma surrounding mental health care, particularly within marginalized communities. Joy reveals how her practice integrates mind, body, and spirit, creating a welcoming, spa-like atmosphere that challenges the traditional one-size-fits-all therapy model. We discuss the critical role her diverse therapeutic modalities play in addressing issues like racism and systemic oppression, and highlight the potential of non-medication-based solutions for those seeking mental health support. Joy Life Counseling is a testament to the power of therapy being seen as a form of self-care, especially for the "backpack population" burdened by racial discrimination.
We eagerly anticipate the experience of Joy's innovative wellness room, a space designed to embody community and inclusivity. With the exciting news of a funding grant to offer free therapy services, including yoga and massages, to Black birthing communities, Joy's commitment to accessible mental health care shines brightly. We invite you to connect with Joy for her expertise and insights, promising a deep dive into personal wellness and the importance of creating spaces that truly resonate with those who need them most.
A Hero's Welcome Podcast © Maria Laquerre-Diego & Liliana Baylon
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello listeners, Welcome back for another episode
of A Hero's Welcome Podcast.
I'm your co-host, Mariela CareDiego, and I'm here with my
lovely co-host.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
That's me, liliana Balan, and we are here with an
amazing therapist that I metyears ago.
I think we met through beinghelp helpers, right?
Is that how we first met?
Yeah, I think so.
You see your face too, becauseI was like I'm like, oh my gosh
(00:33):
I am.
So, uh, joey and I are training,uh, emotionally focused therapy
, and there's this idea that wego help us experts, um, to help
other clinicians as they'relearning the model.
For all of you who cannot seeus, because this is a podcast
and you're not seeing the video,I just like did quotes, because
(00:54):
a lot of times we're morenervous than they are as we're
helping, but that's how westarted.
We have presented together aswell.
So she's an outstandingtherapist in our community.
Joy, how would you like tointroduce to our audience?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Thank, you for that.
My name is Joy Ewing.
I'm a licensed marriage andfamily therapist.
I own a group practice inAurora, colorado, and love what
I do as a therapist and as apractice owner.
We specialize in working withBIPOC, black women, especially
(01:33):
couples, black couples,individuals, children and
families.
It's four clinicians at theoffice currently.
We're all Black women andreally just great dynamic here
at Joy Life Counseling justwelcoming environment and we
also work with all clients.
So we have a lot of clientsheld from all different cultural
(01:56):
backgrounds and ethnicities andjust love getting in there and
working with our diversecommunity here in Aurora,
colorado.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Hey tell us what are we going to be discussing today?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
So I wanted to talk a little bit about like holistic
care for BIPOC community as faras mental health goes.
I'm talking about some of thedifferent things that we offer
here at Joy Life Counselingthat's maybe outside of the box
and just different ways that wesupport people when it does come
(02:35):
to mental health and justbreaking that stigma of seeking
mental health, especially withinthe Black and Brown community
when it comes to, you know,getting help when they need that
help.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
I love that.
I love that and our listenersknow by now.
We love an out of the box idea.
So I would love to hear moreabout like kind of what are you
offering that you feel is likeout of the box, and how did you,
where did the drive and thepassion come?
Because this is not easy to doanything outside of the box.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
So I started off privatepractice it was just myself and
you know, working with clients.
I think the first thing that Iadded was well, eft.
I think the first thing that Iadded was well, eft, but I also
added EMDR and really love thatmodality to work with clients
especially that are experiencinga lot of trauma and that feel
(03:32):
stuck, you know, in their traumaand you know kind of negative
distress within their body andso helping them in that way.
As I continue to grow as aprivate practice, I expanded
into a group practice and I hada whole vision written out of
(03:54):
what I wanted to offer and thiswas actually just the tip of the
iceberg.
But I was like I want yoga, Iwant, you know, neural feedback.
I learned about that in schooland I love that modality and
went and got certified and lensneural feedback and purchased
equipment and lens neuralfeedback to be able to offer
(04:16):
that, because many therapistsaren't doing it and especially a
Black therapist offeringneurofeedback.
So we have neurofeedback.
We have a pulse energyfrequency mat.
We have zero gravity massagechairs.
(04:37):
We also do groups here.
So we have a grieving momsgroup for Black women who have
lost children.
We also have a Black momssupport group for moms who are
expecting up to age three withtheir children and they can
bring their kids with them tothat moms group.
And then we have another Blackmoms group that supports mothers
(05:00):
with children four through 18.
And so they come no children,it's all just supporting
self-care, building communityand all of these groups, by the
way, they hang out outside ofhere.
So they've built thesesubgroups where they're going
out and doing things and it'sjust amazing to see the growth
(05:24):
and what's happening here at JoyLife Counseling and I couldn't
do it without my team Like myteam of therapists are
phenomenal.
I have Valicia Moody, I haveMalika Palo and Veronica Moogie
and these therapists, I mean,they show up and they're ready
to work.
(05:44):
And you know we're having teammeetings and figuring out what
else we can do here in thecommunity.
We've even hosted it was awomen's self-care retreat here
at the office where women cameand we had food, we had music,
we did some journaling, we didguided meditation, we did yoga
(06:09):
and then we just got togetherand just enjoyed each other and
just got to know one another andhang out and it was just
self-care day and it was for allwomen.
So black, white, brown,everyone came out.
It was beautiful.
It was just a beautiful way tobring together the community.
Some were clients, some wereclinicians, some were just
(06:31):
people that heard about us andthe community that came out to
that.
So that was really cool.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
That's amazing, You're doing so much in
community, but we can't, wecan't just fly by.
I'm sorry you said massagechairs.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Zero gravity massage chairs, two of them in a
wellness room.
And so the wellness room haslike an oil diffuser.
It has like a little projectionlight thing up top.
It has the little fake leaveson the wall.
It's like really tranquil andlike wellness centered.
And then there's two massagechairs, there's eye masks,
there's.
What else do we have in there?
We have everything.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
I'm sorry, Joy.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I am now looking up a ticket to kind of voice
playoffs to use, like if youjust want to, you know, be a
little cooler, but it heats up,it does all.
A full body massage Like ithits every spot and it's pretty
amazing.
I wanted to offer that becauseat first we wanted to have a
(07:43):
massage therapist here and wejust didn't have enough people
booking appointments and I waslike, how else can we offer a
full wellness experience here atJoy Life Counseling and think
outside of the box once again?
And that was another way I wasable to offer massages and offer
(08:04):
that wellness.
So folks will come and they'll,you know, have their therapy
session and maybe they need somemore time to just process what
came up for them and they'reneeding to feel, you know, just
kind of like in a space thatfeels safe, that feels quiet,
that feels, you know, relaxingfor them.
(08:24):
So I'm able to say, you know,go enjoy the massage chairs
right across the hall for myoffice and they're able to go in
there.
And then clinicians myselfincluded in between sessions,
you know, if we're having astressful day or we're just
needing some time to just, youknow, kind of shut down and
(08:45):
unplug a little bit, we'll goenjoy those and it's free of
charge for all the clinicianshere at the office and it's just
another way to just provide youknow that holistic wellness and
provide additional benefits foryou know, being amazing
clinicians that they are in allthe work that they do.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
So for everyone who's listening right, because we got
like, wait a minute, we have togo visit Joy but all of us, for
all of you who are listening,including ourselves, when we're
talking about this stigma ofgetting mental health, what
you're doing is not only makingit accessible, but offering.
I love, because what you'retalking about is like it's not
(09:27):
just the one size fits all inregards to what we'll do MDR or
do EFT or we'll do this.
What you're saying is like no,let me.
Let me offer you an experiencewhere we're helping you
integrate right mind, body, bodyand spirit.
It's more than just exactlywe're gonna, we're gonna do talk
therapy or we're gonna dotrauma work, when in reality, a
(09:52):
lot of times we do EMDR forevery any of you who are
offering and if you have triedit, it is hard when we do EMDR
sessions because then we need alot of times the brain does not
stop processing, so a lot oftimes we need that little extra.
So by having an oil diffuser,by having this room, that what I
picture is what Dr Robert Grantwill say like oh my God, that
(10:15):
room is amazing because we'reable to provide sensory input or
sensory output to the clientswho need it after a session.
Right, this is beautifulbecause you are providing a
wellness approach to theservices that you provide.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yeah, thank you, thank you, and that's exactly
what the vision for Joy LifeCounseling was to provide more
of a spa like atmosphere, thekind of stigma of seeking mental
health, by making it so wherewhen people come in, they just
feel like at peace, they're just, they're feeling welcome,
(10:59):
they're feeling seen.
I even tell my clients we have awaiting area but I'm like, if
you want, before your session,you can go into the wellness
room, you can stretch on a mat,you can meditate, you can have
some quiet time before you evencome into my office.
Like there's tea at the office,there's, you know, coffee,
(11:21):
there's water, there's snacksfor clients.
They can just grab what theyneed.
We have LaCroix's in the fridgeand we just really try to make
it like a really welcoming spaceand just a space where people
were just like wow, like this,this is where I feel you know
seen, I feel cared for, I feelnurtured, like all parts of self
(11:44):
, not just you know mentalhealth, but you know mind, body,
spirit, just like Liliana wassaying, like just tapping into
all parts of a person and justhelping them to know that you
know we care about them.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Absolutely, and I mean, and it must be working
because you've expanded fromsolo practice to a group
practice, so you're you'redefinitely on to something in
addition to the amazing wellnessroom, but changing the
atmosphere of what therapy isgoing to look like and feel like
an experience, why?
(12:21):
I mean, this feels like such aloaded question, but like why is
that important, specificallyfor the BIPOC community?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Well, I think it's important because one within the
BIPOC community, especiallywithin the Black community
seeking mental health, there wassuch a big stigma, and there
still is a big stigma.
It's like you're crazy,something's wrong with you.
Oh my gosh, like what happened?
You need, you know, to go speakto a therapist a shrink, you
(12:51):
know.
And so, for me, I wanted tostart to break down that stigma
of seeking mental health andmake it to where it's okay to
reach out for help and support.
It's okay to come here and notbe, you know, completely broken
down either, like you can comehere and just work on different
(13:12):
goals that you have for yourselfand your life and talk about,
maybe, different struggles whenit comes to racism and systemic
oppression and things like that,because that all impacts us in
many different ways and impactsyour mental health as well.
So I feel that you know allpeople need to feel like they
(13:32):
can come and seek help ifthey're needing it, and it
doesn't have to be you knowwhere they're experiencing like
the worst trauma ever.
Like we do, we support peoplethat have experienced a lot of
trauma, but we also supportpeople who are just wanting to
better themselves and maybe theyneed a therapist that looks
(13:53):
like them or needs a therapistthat does other modalities right
Outside of the box, because Ihave clients that come and see
me and maybe they're strugglingwith ADHD or they're struggling
with anxiety depression, butmaybe they don't want to take
medication, with anxiety,depression, but maybe they don't
(14:13):
want to take medication, and soneural feedback has been an
amazing alternative to help withthose symptoms that clients are
experiencing without having togo the medication route.
Or maybe they're usingmedication and it's not fully
helping them and they can tapinto biofeedback or
neurofeedback and they're ableto experience so much more
(14:35):
relief and they're doing amazing, you know, with those different
modalities as well.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I love that right, because, especially, you're not
saying we're going to do thetraditional, which is you book a
session, you come in, you talkabout it.
We talk about thoseuncomfortable conversations
which a lot of us were afraidbecause we did not.
We didn't get training inregards to how do we broach
those conversations, such asracial discrimination the
(15:03):
backpack population gets toexperience every day.
We don't get to take a breakand say like, ok, I'm going to
shut it down today, I'm justgoing to go here and then
everyone is going to gonna treatme this way.
The reality for backpackpopulation is that that is a
luxury.
So but you're providing groups,um, so that you are creating
community, so that they get toget a different template.
(15:24):
And and for all of you who areout there, I did try it because
I'm afraid of public speaking.
I think it's hilarious that Isay that a lot now, but I hate
actually public speaking.
I'm afraid of it.
And I was talking to Joy andshe was like why don't you come
and try neurofeedback?
And then after it it was likewhy don't you lie down on the
(15:49):
energy mat, energy man.
It was such a beautifulexperience that you know.
Also, allow me to think outsidethe box.
As therapists, you are trainedbecause we all get the same
foundation that talk therapy isthe way to go.
Can you come and talk about it,or you don't want to talk about
this.
That's because you're resilient, or you're not resilient,
(16:10):
resistant to it.
You do not want to talk aboutthis when, in reality, when you
say I'm creating a place, aspace where you can come in, all
parts of you can show up and Iwill have those conversations
with you that sometimes we'reeven afraid to bring up, because
am I going to have to sharethis so that it will make sense
(16:33):
to you, or are you having thoseexperiences and you can
normalize it for me and validateme on it?
Right?
And so when you say, like Ihave, I work with this
population, I have this fouramazing women who are helping
with this, that's exactly whatyou're doing creating a shared
experience where your clients donot have to go and explain what
(16:57):
it's like.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
That was heavy.
I mean, it sounds like yeah, assoon as you step in.
It's like acceptance andwelcoming, which is so different
than, especially like thegeneral population's idea of
mental health, right, like we'restill fighting the stigma that
we're all old, white crustydudes.
We're gonna like ask about yourrelationship with your mom and
(17:21):
have you like lay down on thecouch Like we're so far from
that, but like the general popdoesn't know that.
Right, because that's stillwhat's portrayed in movies and
TV shows and that's the fear,right.
So even your entire environment, just it sets the tone from the
(17:42):
moment that they either look onyour website or step foot
through that door so powerful?
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Yeah, thank you, thank you.
I love what I do here.
Like I love the atmosphere,like even my clinicians that
work here.
One of the clinicians when shestarted, she's just like every
time I come in here I'm and itjust feels warm, it feels
welcoming.
She's worked at other practicesand she's like I did not feel
(18:17):
this anywhere else that I'veworked at and when I come here
it's just something differentabout the energy, the space,
what you've created here.
And so just hearing that from aclinician, hearing that from
clients here, and so justhearing that from a clinician,
hearing that from clients, likethat fills my cup.
(18:41):
That fills my cup because Ithink about myself and you know,
young joy like what would havedrew me in to seeking a
therapist, what would havereally like filled me up when I
walked into a therapist's officeor seeked help and I was like,
wow, like this is you know I'mI'm a little bougie too, if you
can't tell like I like to have aspa atmosphere, I like to go
(19:06):
get massages, I like toself-care and to pamper myself,
and so I was like that would beamazing if we can give this to
people you know that need it themost, if we can provide this
for people who need it the most.
(19:26):
But we have had men come to ouryoga classes as well, but
seeing the women in there andjust being able to release, to
move their body, to feel withtheir bodies and reconnect with
(19:52):
movement, so much of what we gothrough is held in our body, and
so I believe that yoga is abeautiful way to one be able to
release but to be able toreconnect as well.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I love that.
What I'm hearing is you'rereframing therapy as self-care,
and I am so here for that.
What I'm hearing is you'rereframing therapy as self-care,
and I am so here for that.
That's amazing.
It's amazing.
Demure, very demure.
We're not trying to be demure.
We're not trying to be demure.
Yes, we're trying to maketherapy.
(20:26):
Bougie, oh gosh, I love that.
Bougie, oh gosh, I love that.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Bougie and accessible at the same time.
So one thing that we did weapplied for a funding grant
through Colorado Access and wewere awarded it this year
actually, and a lot of money,know if I want to say the exact
amount, but anyways, we wereawarded a lot of money through
(20:53):
Colorado Access to be able toprovide therapy services to
Black birthing, the Blackbirthing communities, so Black
women, and so that's where wewere able to tap into the Black
Moms groups.
We were able to provide and Ineed to look at the numbers, but
I know it's over 200, and itmight be way more than that
Individual and family therapyservices free of cost, the Black
(21:16):
Moms Group free of cost, likethe massages, yoga, neural
feedback for the Black mothersthat are part of that program.
It's free of cost, yeah, and sothat's been amazing.
We want to reapply and re-getfunding for that.
We still are going to be ableto provide those services,
(21:39):
probably through May of 2026 iswhere we're tracking at with the
budget.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Nice, that's incredible, right.
So the invitation for everyonewho's listening.
It may not be this demure, but,like, what can you do in order
to?
I love the question actuallythat you said, which is what
would I need it to go to therapy?
We all have those backgrounds,so what is it that you needed,
(22:14):
independently of, if you provideplay therapy, couples therapy,
individual therapy what was itthat you needed and how can you
attend to that?
There's healing in that, by theway.
And then, right, like, how areyou going to attend to those
clients that can relate to you?
Yeah, joy.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I'm curious if we have listeners who are like, yes
, I would like to shift practicetowards something more like
this um, I know, even for ourown group, like we've talked
about trying to do likeintegrating, like
trauma-informed yoga and like aquiet sensory room where you've
done the work.
Uh, what?
(22:51):
What tips are you willing toshare with those that are maybe
considering like, okay, I wouldlove to, but like where does one
start?
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Yeah, so my start was really writing down my plan, my
business plan, and getting veryclear about my mission and my
vision for my business and how Iwanted it to look, before even
finding the space Right, and soI knew exactly what I wanted.
(23:18):
And then looking into funding.
Of course, you know, eithersaving or borrowing, or getting
people to invest right in yourvision and your goals that's big
because we need money to beable to do it and then just
working with some really coolpeople in the community looking
(23:41):
through properties oh my gosh,like when I was looking for the
space, I had to go to so manydifferent spaces, but I knew
already that I wanted it inAurora Colorado, that right
there, I just felt like this issomething that we don't have
here in Aurora Colorado and Ilive here, and so I wanted to
(24:04):
make sure I had it in thecommunity where I lived, where I
wanted to serve clients, andit's also very close to Denver,
by the way.
It's centrally located, sopeople can get here really
easily, right off of the highway, and so that was important.
So locating a space.
And then, once I found thespace, being able to delegate
(24:27):
because, yeah, I could have madeall of these offices into
therapist offices and itprobably would have been more
profitable.
But that's not my vision.
My vision was to be able tooffer other services, holistic
services at Joy Life Counseling,and for it not to just look
like a stuffy therapist office.
(24:49):
And so I had a vision and Istuck with it and I didn't get
to like incorporate all thesethings all at once, by the way.
It was over time.
So I was okay with the businessgrowing over time and the
vision coming together over time.
We've been in this space for ayear and a half now, and so
(25:10):
that's when everything kind ofcame into place and even the
therapist like I came in thisspace of I think it's eight
offices and a break room and areception area, and it was just
me, by the way.
It was just me and I was likeand now I need people and now I
need to, you know, and I wasokay with taking that risk and
(25:34):
investing in my vision,investing in my business, and it
panned off.
It's working.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
I think that's huge for everyone who's listening.
You went to school and gottrained and had to be a
therapist.
What you're describing is thevision that you had while you
were like getting trained right.
So this is for all of you whoare out there when we say you
have to invest in your business,in your vision.
(26:03):
This is where you sit down andyou have to be able to sit down
and visualize what is the failsense that you want in your
office, where you want thelocation to be.
How accessible do you want itbecause of the population that
you're targeting?
What will that include on it?
So they don't teach us thatpart in school.
(26:24):
Because they're training you togo work in agency work, clinic
work.
They're not preparing you to gowork and and be an owner.
That's not the mentality, andwe had a whole podcast about
money and this already right, sogo listening to to that podcast
.
But what we're talking abouttoday is when you have in mind a
(26:45):
vision of I want to serve thispopulation.
I want to include all the partsof the individual.
While we're talking abouthealing historical trauma, while
we're talking aboutuncomfortable conversations,
while we're providing groupsupports for moms so that they
(27:06):
build community, because we knowresearch has told us even
though I hate to use that wordresearch has told us that
healing happens in community,right?
So for all of you who arelistening, what we're hearing is
you don't.
You don't have to go get indebt to do it all.
Please don't do that.
(27:26):
But you can start adding thingssuch as it may be where you go
and get energy, mad where you goand you know, train in a model
that is going to be able to helpyou when it's not talk therapy,
like what are the other thingsthat the population that you are
(27:51):
working, that you're workingwith, might be benefited from.
And that's what you'redescribing today.
By the way you're describing itlike I just want to go to your
quiet, sensory room and hidethere.
But at the same time, you'reoffering it not only because
you're thinking of your client,but now you're taking care of
your clinicians.
(28:11):
Yeah Right, you want them tonot get to burnout.
You are taking care of them andmodeling something right now so
that they take care ofthemselves while they're
providing services, taking careof others.
Beautiful concept.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
Yes, absolutely, joy.
I just have to say you are adisruptor of systemic oppression
and trauma and I don't know ifyou see that in the lens that I
can see that we are just meetingand being able to hear.
Like you're breaking the cycleof therapy, being hard and
(28:49):
traumatic and discriminatory,you're breaking the system of
employment places, burningclinicians out because you are
taking care of them as well.
Like you are a disruptor ofsystemic generational trauma and
oppression and I am just in awe.
(29:09):
I mean, we could talk for dayson massage chairs, but really,
joy, what you're doing is unlikeanything I've ever seen before
and like kudos.
Well done, well done.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Bye.
Oh my gosh, that's big to hear.
Thank you, please take it in.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Please take it in Please take it in, as we are at
the end of our time together.
I think that is Already over.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
I had more.
No, I'm messing with you.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Please come back and talk more, because we do want to
learn from you.
We need to hear, we need tocreate spaces to talk about what
are others doing and how we cango, because if we stay in the
same bubble, the problem in thesame bubble is that we don't get
to hear and learn from othersso that we can also be creative.
And that's what you'reproviding us today the idea of
(30:05):
not staying in the same bubble,and for that I agree with Maria.
Thank you for disrupting, thankyou for being you.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Oh, thank you guys so much.
This was amazing.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
We'll hopefully have you come back and perhaps even
by the time this has dropped,I'll have met you and been able
to, like, come experience yourlittle wellness room 100%.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
I would love that You're more than welcome and
it's a welcoming space for allpeople, and so we would love
that you're more than welcomeand it's a welcoming space for
all people, and so we would lovelike it's for all, but we have
to try it first.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Like yes, until we try it first, okay we'll come
back listeners with a review ofjoy lives community.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
I love it.
I love it, thank you, so it.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Thank you so much.
Thank you, thank you, listeners, for listening to this podcast,
and if you have any questionsabout Joy, just know that we're
going to include her informationon the podcast so that you can
reach out to her and ask herquestions.
Pay her for her consultation sothat she can share her wisdom.
Okay, until next time.
Until then, guys, thank you.
Hello listeners, Welcome back for another episode
of A Hero's Welcome Podcast.
I'm your co-host, Mariela CareDiego, and I'm here with my
lovely co-host.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
That's me, liliana Balan, and we are here with an
amazing therapist that I metyears ago.
I think we met through beinghelp helpers, right?
Is that how we first met?
Yeah, I think so.
You see your face too, becauseI was like I'm like, oh my gosh
(00:33):
I am.
So, uh, joey and I are training,uh, emotionally focused therapy
, and there's this idea that wego help us experts, um, to help
other clinicians as they'relearning the model.
For all of you who cannot seeus, because this is a podcast
and you're not seeing the video,I just like did quotes, because
(00:54):
a lot of times we're morenervous than they are as we're
helping, but that's how westarted.
We have presented together aswell.
So she's an outstandingtherapist in our community.
Joy, how would you like tointroduce to our audience?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Thank, you for that.
My name is Joy Ewing.
I'm a licensed marriage andfamily therapist.
I own a group practice inAurora, colorado, and love what
I do as a therapist and as apractice owner.
We specialize in working withBIPOC, black women, especially
(01:33):
couples, black couples,individuals, children and
families.
It's four clinicians at theoffice currently.
We're all Black women andreally just great dynamic here
at Joy Life Counseling justwelcoming environment and we
also work with all clients.
So we have a lot of clientsheld from all different cultural
(01:56):
backgrounds and ethnicities andjust love getting in there and
working with our diversecommunity here in Aurora,
colorado.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Hey tell us what are we going to be discussing today?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
So I wanted to talk a little bit about like holistic
care for BIPOC community as faras mental health goes.
I'm talking about some of thedifferent things that we offer
here at Joy Life Counselingthat's maybe outside of the box
and just different ways that wesupport people when it does come
(02:35):
to mental health and justbreaking that stigma of seeking
mental health, especially withinthe Black and Brown community
when it comes to, you know,getting help when they need that
help.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
I love that.
I love that and our listenersknow by now.
We love an out of the box idea.
So I would love to hear moreabout like kind of what are you
offering that you feel is likeout of the box, and how did you,
where did the drive and thepassion come?
Because this is not easy to doanything outside of the box.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
So I started off privatepractice it was just myself and
you know, working with clients.
I think the first thing that Iadded was well, eft.
I think the first thing that Iadded was well, eft, but I also
added EMDR and really love thatmodality to work with clients
especially that are experiencinga lot of trauma and that feel
(03:32):
stuck, you know, in their traumaand you know kind of negative
distress within their body andso helping them in that way.
As I continue to grow as aprivate practice, I expanded
into a group practice and I hada whole vision written out of
(03:54):
what I wanted to offer and thiswas actually just the tip of the
iceberg.
But I was like I want yoga, Iwant, you know, neural feedback.
I learned about that in schooland I love that modality and
went and got certified and lensneural feedback and purchased
equipment and lens neuralfeedback to be able to offer
(04:16):
that, because many therapistsaren't doing it and especially a
Black therapist offeringneurofeedback.
So we have neurofeedback.
We have a pulse energyfrequency mat.
We have zero gravity massagechairs.
(04:37):
We also do groups here.
So we have a grieving momsgroup for Black women who have
lost children.
We also have a Black momssupport group for moms who are
expecting up to age three withtheir children and they can
bring their kids with them tothat moms group.
And then we have another Blackmoms group that supports mothers
(05:00):
with children four through 18.
And so they come no children,it's all just supporting
self-care, building communityand all of these groups, by the
way, they hang out outside ofhere.
So they've built thesesubgroups where they're going
out and doing things and it'sjust amazing to see the growth
(05:24):
and what's happening here at JoyLife Counseling and I couldn't
do it without my team Like myteam of therapists are
phenomenal.
I have Valicia Moody, I haveMalika Palo and Veronica Moogie
and these therapists, I mean,they show up and they're ready
to work.
(05:44):
And you know we're having teammeetings and figuring out what
else we can do here in thecommunity.
We've even hosted it was awomen's self-care retreat here
at the office where women cameand we had food, we had music,
we did some journaling, we didguided meditation, we did yoga
(06:09):
and then we just got togetherand just enjoyed each other and
just got to know one another andhang out and it was just
self-care day and it was for allwomen.
So black, white, brown,everyone came out.
It was beautiful.
It was just a beautiful way tobring together the community.
Some were clients, some wereclinicians, some were just
(06:31):
people that heard about us andthe community that came out to
that.
So that was really cool.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
That's amazing, You're doing so much in
community, but we can't, wecan't just fly by.
I'm sorry you said massagechairs.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Zero gravity massage chairs, two of them in a
wellness room.
And so the wellness room haslike an oil diffuser.
It has like a little projectionlight thing up top.
It has the little fake leaveson the wall.
It's like really tranquil andlike wellness centered.
And then there's two massagechairs, there's eye masks,
there's.
What else do we have in there?
We have everything.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
I'm sorry, Joy.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I am now looking up a ticket to kind of voice
playoffs to use, like if youjust want to, you know, be a
little cooler, but it heats up,it does all.
A full body massage Like ithits every spot and it's pretty
amazing.
I wanted to offer that becauseat first we wanted to have a
(07:43):
massage therapist here and wejust didn't have enough people
booking appointments and I waslike, how else can we offer a
full wellness experience here atJoy Life Counseling and think
outside of the box once again?
And that was another way I wasable to offer massages and offer
(08:04):
that wellness.
So folks will come and they'll,you know, have their therapy
session and maybe they need somemore time to just process what
came up for them and they'reneeding to feel, you know, just
kind of like in a space thatfeels safe, that feels quiet,
that feels, you know, relaxingfor them.
(08:24):
So I'm able to say, you know,go enjoy the massage chairs
right across the hall for myoffice and they're able to go in
there.
And then clinicians myselfincluded in between sessions,
you know, if we're having astressful day or we're just
needing some time to just, youknow, kind of shut down and
(08:45):
unplug a little bit, we'll goenjoy those and it's free of
charge for all the clinicianshere at the office and it's just
another way to just provide youknow that holistic wellness and
provide additional benefits foryou know, being amazing
clinicians that they are in allthe work that they do.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
So for everyone who's listening right, because we got
like, wait a minute, we have togo visit Joy but all of us, for
all of you who are listening,including ourselves, when we're
talking about this stigma ofgetting mental health, what
you're doing is not only makingit accessible, but offering.
I love, because what you'retalking about is like it's not
(09:27):
just the one size fits all inregards to what we'll do MDR or
do EFT or we'll do this.
What you're saying is like no,let me.
Let me offer you an experiencewhere we're helping you
integrate right mind, body, bodyand spirit.
It's more than just exactlywe're gonna, we're gonna do talk
therapy or we're gonna dotrauma work, when in reality, a
(09:52):
lot of times we do EMDR forevery any of you who are
offering and if you have triedit, it is hard when we do EMDR
sessions because then we need alot of times the brain does not
stop processing, so a lot oftimes we need that little extra.
So by having an oil diffuser,by having this room, that what I
picture is what Dr Robert Grantwill say like oh my God, that
(10:15):
room is amazing because we'reable to provide sensory input or
sensory output to the clientswho need it after a session.
Right, this is beautifulbecause you are providing a
wellness approach to theservices that you provide.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yeah, thank you, thank you, and that's exactly
what the vision for Joy LifeCounseling was to provide more
of a spa like atmosphere, thekind of stigma of seeking mental
health, by making it so wherewhen people come in, they just
feel like at peace, they're just, they're feeling welcome,
(10:59):
they're feeling seen.
I even tell my clients we have awaiting area but I'm like, if
you want, before your session,you can go into the wellness
room, you can stretch on a mat,you can meditate, you can have
some quiet time before you evencome into my office.
Like there's tea at the office,there's, you know, coffee,
(11:21):
there's water, there's snacksfor clients.
They can just grab what theyneed.
We have LaCroix's in the fridgeand we just really try to make
it like a really welcoming spaceand just a space where people
were just like wow, like this,this is where I feel you know
seen, I feel cared for, I feelnurtured, like all parts of self
(11:44):
, not just you know mentalhealth, but you know mind, body,
spirit, just like Liliana wassaying, like just tapping into
all parts of a person and justhelping them to know that you
know we care about them.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Absolutely, and I mean, and it must be working
because you've expanded fromsolo practice to a group
practice, so you're you'redefinitely on to something in
addition to the amazing wellnessroom, but changing the
atmosphere of what therapy isgoing to look like and feel like
an experience, why?
(12:21):
I mean, this feels like such aloaded question, but like why is
that important, specificallyfor the BIPOC community?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Well, I think it's important because one within the
BIPOC community, especiallywithin the Black community
seeking mental health, there wassuch a big stigma, and there
still is a big stigma.
It's like you're crazy,something's wrong with you.
Oh my gosh, like what happened?
You need, you know, to go speakto a therapist a shrink, you
(12:51):
know.
And so, for me, I wanted tostart to break down that stigma
of seeking mental health andmake it to where it's okay to
reach out for help and support.
It's okay to come here and notbe, you know, completely broken
down either, like you can comehere and just work on different
(13:12):
goals that you have for yourselfand your life and talk about,
maybe, different struggles whenit comes to racism and systemic
oppression and things like that,because that all impacts us in
many different ways and impactsyour mental health as well.
So I feel that you know allpeople need to feel like they
(13:32):
can come and seek help ifthey're needing it, and it
doesn't have to be you knowwhere they're experiencing like
the worst trauma ever.
Like we do, we support peoplethat have experienced a lot of
trauma, but we also supportpeople who are just wanting to
better themselves and maybe theyneed a therapist that looks
(13:53):
like them or needs a therapistthat does other modalities right
Outside of the box, because Ihave clients that come and see
me and maybe they're strugglingwith ADHD or they're struggling
with anxiety depression, butmaybe they don't want to take
medication, with anxiety,depression, but maybe they don't
(14:13):
want to take medication, and soneural feedback has been an
amazing alternative to help withthose symptoms that clients are
experiencing without having togo the medication route.
Or maybe they're usingmedication and it's not fully
helping them and they can tapinto biofeedback or
neurofeedback and they're ableto experience so much more
(14:35):
relief and they're doing amazing, you know, with those different
modalities as well.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I love that right, because, especially, you're not
saying we're going to do thetraditional, which is you book a
session, you come in, you talkabout it.
We talk about thoseuncomfortable conversations
which a lot of us were afraidbecause we did not.
We didn't get training inregards to how do we broach
those conversations, such asracial discrimination the
(15:03):
backpack population gets toexperience every day.
We don't get to take a breakand say like, ok, I'm going to
shut it down today, I'm justgoing to go here and then
everyone is going to gonna treatme this way.
The reality for backpackpopulation is that that is a
luxury.
So but you're providing groups,um, so that you are creating
community, so that they get toget a different template.
(15:24):
And and for all of you who areout there, I did try it because
I'm afraid of public speaking.
I think it's hilarious that Isay that a lot now, but I hate
actually public speaking.
I'm afraid of it.
And I was talking to Joy andshe was like why don't you come
and try neurofeedback?
And then after it it was likewhy don't you lie down on the
(15:49):
energy mat, energy man.
It was such a beautifulexperience that you know.
Also, allow me to think outsidethe box.
As therapists, you are trainedbecause we all get the same
foundation that talk therapy isthe way to go.
Can you come and talk about it,or you don't want to talk about
this.
That's because you're resilient, or you're not resilient,
(16:10):
resistant to it.
You do not want to talk aboutthis when, in reality, when you
say I'm creating a place, aspace where you can come in, all
parts of you can show up and Iwill have those conversations
with you that sometimes we'reeven afraid to bring up, because
am I going to have to sharethis so that it will make sense
(16:33):
to you, or are you having thoseexperiences and you can
normalize it for me and validateme on it?
Right?
And so when you say, like Ihave, I work with this
population, I have this fouramazing women who are helping
with this, that's exactly whatyou're doing creating a shared
experience where your clients donot have to go and explain what
(16:57):
it's like.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
That was heavy.
I mean, it sounds like yeah, assoon as you step in.
It's like acceptance andwelcoming, which is so different
than, especially like thegeneral population's idea of
mental health, right, like we'restill fighting the stigma that
we're all old, white crustydudes.
We're gonna like ask about yourrelationship with your mom and
(17:21):
have you like lay down on thecouch Like we're so far from
that, but like the general popdoesn't know that.
Right, because that's stillwhat's portrayed in movies and
TV shows and that's the fear,right.
So even your entire environment, just it sets the tone from the
(17:42):
moment that they either look onyour website or step foot
through that door so powerful?
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Yeah, thank you, thank you.
I love what I do here.
Like I love the atmosphere,like even my clinicians that
work here.
One of the clinicians when shestarted, she's just like every
time I come in here I'm and itjust feels warm, it feels
welcoming.
She's worked at other practicesand she's like I did not feel
(18:17):
this anywhere else that I'veworked at and when I come here
it's just something differentabout the energy, the space,
what you've created here.
And so just hearing that from aclinician, hearing that from
clients here, and so justhearing that from a clinician,
hearing that from clients, likethat fills my cup.
(18:41):
That fills my cup because Ithink about myself and you know,
young joy like what would havedrew me in to seeking a
therapist, what would havereally like filled me up when I
walked into a therapist's officeor seeked help and I was like,
wow, like this is you know I'mI'm a little bougie too, if you
can't tell like I like to have aspa atmosphere, I like to go
(19:06):
get massages, I like toself-care and to pamper myself,
and so I was like that would beamazing if we can give this to
people you know that need it themost, if we can provide this
for people who need it the most.
(19:26):
But we have had men come to ouryoga classes as well, but
seeing the women in there andjust being able to release, to
move their body, to feel withtheir bodies and reconnect with
(19:52):
movement, so much of what we gothrough is held in our body, and
so I believe that yoga is abeautiful way to one be able to
release but to be able toreconnect as well.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I love that.
What I'm hearing is you'rereframing therapy as self-care,
and I am so here for that.
What I'm hearing is you'rereframing therapy as self-care,
and I am so here for that.
That's amazing.
It's amazing.
Demure, very demure.
We're not trying to be demure.
We're not trying to be demure.
Yes, we're trying to maketherapy.
(20:26):
Bougie, oh gosh, I love that.
Bougie, oh gosh, I love that.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Bougie and accessible at the same time.
So one thing that we did weapplied for a funding grant
through Colorado Access and wewere awarded it this year
actually, and a lot of money,know if I want to say the exact
amount, but anyways, we wereawarded a lot of money through
(20:53):
Colorado Access to be able toprovide therapy services to
Black birthing, the Blackbirthing communities, so Black
women, and so that's where wewere able to tap into the Black
Moms groups.
We were able to provide and Ineed to look at the numbers, but
I know it's over 200, and itmight be way more than that
Individual and family therapyservices free of cost, the Black
(21:16):
Moms Group free of cost, likethe massages, yoga, neural
feedback for the Black mothersthat are part of that program.
It's free of cost, yeah, and sothat's been amazing.
We want to reapply and re-getfunding for that.
We still are going to be ableto provide those services,
(21:39):
probably through May of 2026 iswhere we're tracking at with the
budget.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Nice, that's incredible, right.
So the invitation for everyonewho's listening.
It may not be this demure, but,like, what can you do in order
to?
I love the question actuallythat you said, which is what
would I need it to go to therapy?
We all have those backgrounds,so what is it that you needed,
(22:14):
independently of, if you provideplay therapy, couples therapy,
individual therapy what was itthat you needed and how can you
attend to that?
There's healing in that, by theway.
And then, right, like, how areyou going to attend to those
clients that can relate to you?
Yeah, joy.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I'm curious if we have listeners who are like, yes
, I would like to shift practicetowards something more like
this um, I know, even for ourown group, like we've talked
about trying to do likeintegrating, like
trauma-informed yoga and like aquiet sensory room where you've
done the work.
Uh, what?
(22:51):
What tips are you willing toshare with those that are maybe
considering like, okay, I wouldlove to, but like where does one
start?
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Yeah, so my start was really writing down my plan, my
business plan, and getting veryclear about my mission and my
vision for my business and how Iwanted it to look, before even
finding the space Right, and soI knew exactly what I wanted.
(23:18):
And then looking into funding.
Of course, you know, eithersaving or borrowing, or getting
people to invest right in yourvision and your goals that's big
because we need money to beable to do it and then just
working with some really coolpeople in the community looking
(23:41):
through properties oh my gosh,like when I was looking for the
space, I had to go to so manydifferent spaces, but I knew
already that I wanted it inAurora Colorado, that right
there, I just felt like this issomething that we don't have
here in Aurora Colorado and Ilive here, and so I wanted to
(24:04):
make sure I had it in thecommunity where I lived, where I
wanted to serve clients, andit's also very close to Denver,
by the way.
It's centrally located, sopeople can get here really
easily, right off of the highway, and so that was important.
So locating a space.
And then, once I found thespace, being able to delegate
(24:27):
because, yeah, I could have madeall of these offices into
therapist offices and itprobably would have been more
profitable.
But that's not my vision.
My vision was to be able tooffer other services, holistic
services at Joy Life Counseling,and for it not to just look
like a stuffy therapist office.
(24:49):
And so I had a vision and Istuck with it and I didn't get
to like incorporate all thesethings all at once, by the way.
It was over time.
So I was okay with the businessgrowing over time and the
vision coming together over time.
We've been in this space for ayear and a half now, and so
(25:10):
that's when everything kind ofcame into place and even the
therapist like I came in thisspace of I think it's eight
offices and a break room and areception area, and it was just
me, by the way.
It was just me and I was likeand now I need people and now I
need to, you know, and I wasokay with taking that risk and
(25:34):
investing in my vision,investing in my business, and it
panned off.
It's working.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
I think that's huge for everyone who's listening.
You went to school and gottrained and had to be a
therapist.
What you're describing is thevision that you had while you
were like getting trained right.
So this is for all of you whoare out there when we say you
have to invest in your business,in your vision.
(26:03):
This is where you sit down andyou have to be able to sit down
and visualize what is the failsense that you want in your
office, where you want thelocation to be.
How accessible do you want itbecause of the population that
you're targeting?
What will that include on it?
So they don't teach us thatpart in school.
(26:24):
Because they're training you togo work in agency work, clinic
work.
They're not preparing you to gowork and and be an owner.
That's not the mentality, andwe had a whole podcast about
money and this already right, sogo listening to to that podcast
.
But what we're talking abouttoday is when you have in mind a
(26:45):
vision of I want to serve thispopulation.
I want to include all the partsof the individual.
While we're talking abouthealing historical trauma, while
we're talking aboutuncomfortable conversations,
while we're providing groupsupports for moms so that they
(27:06):
build community, because we knowresearch has told us even
though I hate to use that wordresearch has told us that
healing happens in community,right?
So for all of you who arelistening, what we're hearing is
you don't.
You don't have to go get indebt to do it all.
Please don't do that.
(27:26):
But you can start adding thingssuch as it may be where you go
and get energy, mad where you goand you know, train in a model
that is going to be able to helpyou when it's not talk therapy,
like what are the other thingsthat the population that you are
(27:51):
working, that you're workingwith, might be benefited from.
And that's what you'redescribing today.
By the way you're describing itlike I just want to go to your
quiet, sensory room and hidethere.
But at the same time, you'reoffering it not only because
you're thinking of your client,but now you're taking care of
your clinicians.
(28:11):
Yeah Right, you want them tonot get to burnout.
You are taking care of them andmodeling something right now so
that they take care ofthemselves while they're
providing services, taking careof others.
Beautiful concept.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
Yes, absolutely, joy.
I just have to say you are adisruptor of systemic oppression
and trauma and I don't know ifyou see that in the lens that I
can see that we are just meetingand being able to hear.
Like you're breaking the cycleof therapy, being hard and
(28:49):
traumatic and discriminatory,you're breaking the system of
employment places, burningclinicians out because you are
taking care of them as well.
Like you are a disruptor ofsystemic generational trauma and
oppression and I am just in awe.
(29:09):
I mean, we could talk for dayson massage chairs, but really,
joy, what you're doing is unlikeanything I've ever seen before
and like kudos.
Well done, well done.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Bye.
Oh my gosh, that's big to hear.
Thank you, please take it in.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Please take it in Please take it in, as we are at
the end of our time together.
I think that is Already over.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
I had more.
No, I'm messing with you.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Please come back and talk more, because we do want to
learn from you.
We need to hear, we need tocreate spaces to talk about what
are others doing and how we cango, because if we stay in the
same bubble, the problem in thesame bubble is that we don't get
to hear and learn from othersso that we can also be creative.
And that's what you'reproviding us today the idea of
(30:05):
not staying in the same bubble,and for that I agree with Maria.
Thank you for disrupting, thankyou for being you.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Oh, thank you guys so much.
This was amazing.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
We'll hopefully have you come back and perhaps even
by the time this has dropped,I'll have met you and been able
to, like, come experience yourlittle wellness room 100%.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
I would love that You're more than welcome and
it's a welcoming space for allpeople, and so we would love
that you're more than welcomeand it's a welcoming space for
all people, and so we would lovelike it's for all, but we have
to try it first.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Like yes, until we try it first, okay we'll come
back listeners with a review ofjoy lives community.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
I love it.
I love it, thank you, so it.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Thank you so much.
Thank you, thank you, listeners, for listening to this podcast,
and if you have any questionsabout Joy, just know that we're
going to include her informationon the podcast so that you can
reach out to her and ask herquestions.
Pay her for her consultation sothat she can share her wisdom.
Okay, until next time.
Until then, guys, thank you.
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Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.