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JL Portrait of Joan Ledford

Joan Ledford

Collaborative counselor for life transitions

LPC Michigan

Experience
8 years in practice
Focus areas
Relationship, Grief, Parenting
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages
English
Continue with Joan

About Joan

Joan Ledford is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) practicing in Michigan who helps people work through relationship challenges, grief, parenting concerns, career questions, compassion fatigue, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, anger, and self-esteem struggles.

Background and approach

With eight years of clinical experience, she draws on practical techniques to help clients develop coping skills and navigate life changes and coaching goals. Joan also brings focus to issues such as autism and Asperger syndrome, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, communication problems, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, panic attacks, postpartum depression, and trauma-related concerns.

Her work begins from a client-centered stance that prioritizes each person’s perspective and strengths, then integrates targeted strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing to address patterns of thought and behavior. Joan also uses narrative and solution-focused methods to help people reframe stories, set attainable goals, and track progress.

She offers worksheets and journaling exercises when helpful, and is open to incorporating faith-based counseling approaches when requested by clients. Joan emphasizes collaboration and respect for clients’ expertise about their own lives, supporting them as they identify needs and take steps toward meaningful change.

Practical approaches and online support



Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors; it is often used for anxiety, panic, obsessive concerns, and stress-related problems. Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's own goals and perspectives, creating space for clients to explore feelings and build on strengths. Motivational Interviewing helps resolve ambivalence and strengthen motivation for change, which can be useful for career shifts, health-related goals, and behavior change.

Finding the right approach is part of the process, and Joan treats selection of methods as a collaborative effort. She listens to each client's needs, values, and goals and will adapt techniques over time so treatment aligns with what the person finds most helpful.

Online therapy with Joan is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to fit regular sessions into busy lives, continue work between meetings with worksheets and journaling prompts, and maintain momentum even when in-person visits are impractical.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Joan commonly address?
She works with relationship difficulties, grief, parenting stress, career and life transitions, compassion fatigue, anxiety, anger, self-esteem, and a range of family and mental health challenges.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Joan starts from a client-centered foundation that highlights the client's strengths and preferences, then blends practical techniques to build coping skills and support change.
What is Joan's professional background and experience?
Joan has eight years of counseling experience, working with children, adults, and families, with particular emphasis on issues that arise during the childbearing years and across life stages.
What credentials and location information are on record?
She is an LPC with the license number MI LPC 6401018502 and practices in Michigan.
Which languages and international clients are supported?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
In what formats are sessions available?
Joan offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and preferences.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Relationship issuesGriefParenting issuesCareer difficultiesCompassion fatigue

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsAnger managementSelf esteemCoping with life changesCoaching

Additional focus areas

Autism and Asperger SyndromeCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Social anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Motivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

8+ years

Licensed

Michigan

Languages

English