Ellen Walker
Compassionate, experienced social worker using practical therapies
LICSW District of Columbia
- Experience
- 30 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Family, Parenting, Career
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Ellen
Ellen Walker is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) practicing in the District of Columbia who aims to support people facing family, relationship, and life transition challenges.
Background and approach
With three decades of experience in mental health and child welfare, she brings a broad background working with a range of concerns including trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, addiction, and issues around intimacy and self-esteem.
Ellen emphasizes partnership and mutual respect as the basis for therapy, helping clients explore how they relate to themselves and others while addressing practical problems that affect daily life. Her style blends several evidence-based methods to match each person’s needs, drawing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-focused work.
Typical sessions are weekly and centered on building trust, clarifying goals, and developing strategies that fit a client’s circumstances. Ellen offers flexible engagement through video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging and accepts international clients, making it feasible for people in varied situations to begin or continue therapeutic work.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes respect, empathy, and collaboration so the therapist follows the client’s lead while offering support and feedback; this approach helps when building trust and exploring personal values and goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying patterns of thought and behavior and developing practical strategies to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress while improving coping skills. Motivational Interviewing helps clarify a person’s own reasons for change and strengthens motivation through guided conversation, which can be useful for issues like addictions or ambivalence about life changes.Deciding which approach to use is part of the work itself. The therapist collaborates with each person to evaluate needs, preferences, and goals and then blends methods that best fit the situation. That collaborative process allows adjustments over time so the plan stays aligned with progress and changing priorities.
Online sessions can include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain regular weekly meetings, access care from varied locations, and switch formats when life circumstances change, supporting continuity of care and practical flexibility.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Licensed
District of Columbia
Languages
English