Ellen Walker, LICSW
LICSW specializing in trauma and family support
- Trauma and grief
- CBT and solution-focused
- Flexible session options
About Ellen Walker
Ellen Walker is a licensed clinical social worker in Washington, DC, holding the credential LICSW, which denotes a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She brings a warm, open-minded optimism to her work and notes that she is in her early 60s, a perspective she pairs with long experience in mental health and child welfare settings. She has worked with couples, families, individuals, and children on a wide range of concerns, including physical and emotional trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, addiction, relationship challenges, and life transitions.
Her approach is eclectic and tailored to each person’s goals, drawing on methods that have proven useful over years of practice. She commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing, and may integrate trauma-focused strategies when appropriate. Typical meetings occur once weekly for 45 minutes, beginning with time to get to know one another and to understand the issues that led someone to seek counseling. She frames the therapeutic relationship as a partnership that depends on mutual trust, respect, honesty, communication, and a shared commitment to the work.
Ellen adapts to clients’ communication preferences and often begins with video sessions to establish rapport, while also offering phone and text options. Much of her availability is in the mornings and on weekends, and she reports a high degree of flexibility in scheduling. She checks messages at least once on weekdays and emphasizes that taking the first step toward help can be challenging while underscoring the importance of finding a therapist who feels like a good fit.
Her approach is eclectic and tailored to each person’s goals, drawing on methods that have proven useful over years of practice. She commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing, and may integrate trauma-focused strategies when appropriate. Typical meetings occur once weekly for 45 minutes, beginning with time to get to know one another and to understand the issues that led someone to seek counseling. She frames the therapeutic relationship as a partnership that depends on mutual trust, respect, honesty, communication, and a shared commitment to the work.
Ellen adapts to clients’ communication preferences and often begins with video sessions to establish rapport, while also offering phone and text options. Much of her availability is in the mornings and on weekends, and she reports a high degree of flexibility in scheduling. She checks messages at least once on weekdays and emphasizes that taking the first step toward help can be challenging while underscoring the importance of finding a therapist who feels like a good fit.
Areas of Expertise
Primary Focus
Also Specializes In
Stress, AnxietyAddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesAnger managementSelf esteemBipolar disorderDepressionADHD
Additional Focus Areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisPost-traumatic stressSexual assault and abuseWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic Approach
Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Motivational Interviewing Solution-Focused Therapy Trauma-Focused Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
How much experience does Ellen Walker have?
Ellen Walker has 30 years of experience.
Is Ellen Walker a licensed therapist?
Yes, she holds the credential LICSW. License details: DC LICSW LC3000783.
In which languages does Ellen Walker provide therapy?
She provides therapy in English.
Where is Ellen Walker located?
She is located in the District of Columbia.
How can I work with Ellen Walker as my therapist?
You can work with Ellen Walker through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
Does Ellen Walker work with international clients?
Yes, Ellen Walker works with international clients.
How much does therapy with Ellen Walker cost?
The cost of therapy can vary depending on factors such as your location and the therapist's availability. Sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time, for any reason. For current details, click the "Start Therapy" button on this page.
How can I get started with therapy?
Getting started with therapy is quick and straightforward. Click the "Start Therapy" button and complete a short questionnaire that helps match you with your therapist. Depending on availability, you can then schedule your first session, which may take place by phone, video call, live chat, or in-app messaging.
Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care
Ellen Walker commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which helps people identify and change unhelpful thought and behavior patterns to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression, and Motivational Interviewing, a collaborative conversational style that supports personal motivation and commitment to change for issues such as addiction or ambivalence about goals. She also uses Solution-Focused Therapy to help clients identify practical steps and strengths for moving forward when facing specific problems.Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Ellen works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as those needs evolve so therapy remains relevant and effective.
Online therapy formats - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit care into busy schedules and to maintain continuity when life circumstances change. These options provide flexibility for attending sessions from different locations and for selecting the communication style that feels most comfortable, while still allowing licensed professionals and therapists to provide focused, goal-oriented support.