Justin Van Elsberg

Welcome!

My name is Justin Van Elsberg and I’m a counseling intern. I believe that the counseling relationship can help us to heal and to connect with what is most important to us in our lives. I view my role as helping to support your growth and flourishing.

 

Since 2010 I’ve been working with adults, children, and families in school, corrections, and substance use treatment settings. I started out working with preschool and school age children as a lead teacher at a university childcare center. Overlapping with this time I worked with an anthropologist studying mindfulness and eventually ended up living for a year in Thailand helping with this research. Once I returned to the U.S., I began developing curriculum for a family law mediation firm with content focused on emotion regulation, parenting, and job placement for various transitional programs for incarcerated and low-income individuals. I continue to facilitate groups in substance use treatment using the mindfulness-based approach I developed during this time. I am also a certified yoga teacher.

I strive to see things how my clients do, so that we can move forward with intention. Counseling can sometimes feel stale. My passion is bringing life and creativity into sessions so that we can explore together what is most important for your continued growth. I believe that exploring the many layers of who we are is profoundly important. This often means leaning into discomfort and as we move in the direction of our values. This also means considering the roles that we have taken on in our past and present
relationships.

I primarily work with teenagers and adults. Whether you have a history of complex trauma, specific concerns you want to address, or are not sure what you are looking for, I am honored to join you on your path. Together we can work to process difficult emotions, develop flexibility to life’s challenges, and move in the direction of your life values.

My primary modalities are Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Relational-Cultural Therapy (RCT), although I’m able to draw from a wide variety of counseling approaches to fit your specific needs and concerns. Ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is a service line that I also provide to my clients. I also think it is important to consider how development and attachment patterns shape our personalities and how we show up in our relationships. If you would like to know more about me or my approach, or you are ready to schedule a session, feel free to reach out using the information listed below.