"Where Nerdy Minds Thrive—Your Mental Health, Your Adventure."
We know that nerds, geeks, and fandom lovers have their own unique experiences, challenges, and ways of navigating the world. Whether you’re deep into gaming, sci-fi, comics, coding, anime, or any other passion that makes your heart race, we see you, and we get it. We understand the joy of staying up late to finish just one more chapter, the thrill of finding someone who shares your love for an obscure series, and the comfort of immersing yourself in a beloved fictional universe. We know that these passions are more than just hobbies—they are a part of your identity, your coping mechanisms, and the way you connect with the world around you. At Joy Spring Mental Health, we celebrate your interests, because we believe that what makes you passionate also makes you powerful.
We Love Getting Nerdy With You
By integrating FUNCTIONAL LAB ASSESSMENTS into our practice, we can identify imbalances, deficiencies, and underlying conditions that might be contributing to your symptoms. This allows us to create personalized strategies to help you feel better, faster.
If you’re the kind of person who loves to understand the ‘why’ behind what you’re feeling, you’re in the right place. Let’s get nerdy together and take a deep dive into your health—because you deserve answers, and we’re here to help you find them!
We believe that knowledge is power—especially when it comes to your health and well-being. We’re not just here to tell you what’s going on; we want to help you understand why you’re experiencing certain symptoms and how we can work together to address them.
Our approach goes beyond surface-level care. We love diving deep into the science with our clients, providing clear explanations and actionable insights so you never feel left in the dark. Whether you’re dealing with burnout, mental health challenges, or physical symptoms that don’t seem to have a clear cause, we use functional lab assessments to uncover the root of the issue. This means we’re not just guessing or throwing darts in the dark—we’re using real data to guide our approach.
What We Can Help With:
Burnout & Stress: Whether from work, school, or trying to keep up with online discourse, we help you find balance. We recognize that passion projects and hyperfixations can be fulfilling but also exhausting. We’ll help you manage that balance.
Anxiety & Depression: Managing life’s challenges while feeling overwhelmed? We’re here to support you. Whether it’s the anxiety of social interactions or the deep lows that sometimes follow intense focus, we understand and provide tools to help.
Neurodivergence Support: ADHD, autism, and other neurodiverse experiences are welcome and understood. We won’t ask you to mask who you are—we’ll help you navigate life in ways that work best for you.
Identity & Belonging: If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, we’ll help you build confidence and find your space. Many of us have found solace in our fandoms, but we also deserve to feel seen and valued in our daily lives.
Social Challenges & Communication: Whether it’s IRL or online, we help you navigate relationships, friendships, and boundaries. We understand the nuances of online friendships, Discord communities, and the complexities of blending digital and in-person interactions.
Therapy That Speaks Your Language
We don’t just tolerate nerd culture—we embrace it. Expect references, metaphors, and conversations that align with your world. Therapy should feel safe and comfortable, and if talking about your latest campaign, favorite anime, or tech deep dive helps you open up, we’re all for it.
Think of therapy like a co-op mission: we’ll work together to help you unlock new skills, level up in self-awareness, and build the resilience you need to navigate challenges. If you prefer structured strategies, we’ll break things down into achievable quests. If storytelling and immersion help you process emotions, we’ll tailor our approach to reflect that.
Your story matters, and we’re here to help you write the next chapter.
Contact us today and let’s get started!
Answers to Your Questions about Mental Healthcare
General Mental Health Basics
We offer both as my schedule allows. In general, we have more availability for medication appointments. If you are interested in both and our therapy slots are full, we will help you connect with another therapist while we manage your medication.
This will be determined during your intake appointment. Brief appointments are ideal for time-limited specific concerns or for clients who are stable and transitioning out of recurring therapy or have already been in recurring therapy in the past. It is also helpful for clients who have challenging schedules or financial concerns that do not accommodate recurring therapy.
No! we see young adults and young-at-heart adults from diverse backgrounds. We have additional training and experience working with the college health and perinatal mental health populations but you do not have to identify with those groups to receive care.
We do not at this time.
Depression, anxiety, social anxiety, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD (with non-stimulants only)
No. Our services are offered predominantly through telehealth and I do not prescribe any controlled substances.
Yes. Clients who live locally, may request an in-person appointment.
Yes. We know how challenging juggling all these responsibilities can be and we will make a plan that will help you succeed all aspects of your life-including academic life.
What to expect for Virtual Appointments
Yes, in order to provide effective care, we must be able to see you. You are not required to use your camera for asynchronous classes.
No, you will need to reschedule. Please be aware there is a cancellation fee for appointments not cancelled within 24 hours.
The best feature of having a virtual appointment option is the convenience! Come as you are, baby drool, messy house, and all. You must be clothed (shirts required, and you may not be using mind altering substances during your appointment.
You will be able to access your appointment from any device with internet and a camera. Due to state licensing regulations, you must be in NC or VA at the time of your appointment. Please try to give yourself a quiet and private place. (Some patients find their vehicles (parked-not driving!) or bathroom to be great escape locations for their appointment.
Practice Policies for clients seeking 1-on-1mental healthcare
Yes, we will collaborate with your individual therapist.
No. Due to the boundaries established by the DEA system, providers cannot prescribe controlled substances to patients they have not initially seen in person. It is anticipated that the COVID pandemic exception will expire. That said, we have many modalities that are safe and effective and provide a long-term solutions so that controlled substances may not be necessary. We are committed to helping patients connect with their best-selves (which involves the courageous exploration of a values-driven life, rather than avoidance and symptom management).
Yes. Please plan to sign a release of information so we can communicate with your medication provider as needed.