Ellen Walker, LICSW

Ellen Walker is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) practicing in the District of Columbia. She brings three decades of experience to her work and talks plainly with people about the challenges they face. Ellen aims to create a calm, straightforward space where goals and next steps are clear.

Her background includes long experience in mental health and child welfare settings. That work gave her repeated exposure to trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, addiction, and complex family situations. She draws on many methods to fit each person's needs and often uses cognitive behavioral ideas to help shift unhelpful thoughts and habits.

Ellen prefers to begin with a few video sessions so people can get to know one another, then move to phone or messaging if that fits better. Sessions are commonly once weekly for about 45 minutes, though she keeps a flexible schedule that often includes mornings and weekends.

In sessions Ellen works as a partner with each person. She asks questions, offers gentle feedback, and suggests practical steps to try between meetings. People can expect direct, respectful conversation focused on the problems that brought them to therapy and realistic, small goals to build on.

Her typical concerns include family and parenting stress, relationship conflict, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and grief. She also works with mood concerns such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and issues like addiction, trauma and abuse, and ADHD. Ellen also helps with communication problems, caregiver stress, and end-of-life or hospice-related concerns.

Approaches that translate well to online therapy

Client-centered work focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the person. This approach helps people feel heard and encourages them to set goals that match their values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. CBT is often practical and problem-focused, which many people find fits well with online sessions for stress, anxiety, mood, and some relationship concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Ellen treats therapy as a collaborative process and will help identify which methods fit a person's goals, needs, and preferences. She may combine techniques and check in regularly to see what is helping and what could change.

Online therapy offers real practical benefits. Video calls allow for face-to-face conversation and clearer nonverbal cues. Phone sessions can be easier when video is not possible or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for short check-ins, quick coping tools, or for people who prefer typing to speaking. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to maintain continuity between sessions.