The inJOY sunset meditation is the highlight of my month. I leave refreshed and ready to take on a new day.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
200-Hour Certified Yoga Instructor
With 22 years of experience, my practice is deeply intertwined with my life journey. Over the years, I’ve worked in community mental health facilities, outpatient settings, schools, and organizations. Twelve years ago, I transitioned into private practice as the co-owner of The Village Center for Holistic Therapy, where we now serve clients from two physical locations in the Pittsburgh area, as well as through online virtual therapy solutions.
For the past decade, yoga and meditation have been a central part of my life, with formal training that began seven years ago (What I Do). My therapeutic work extends beyond traditional talk therapy to include meditation and body integration practices—approaches that have been deeply transformative not only for my clients but also for me.
Having navigated my journey through loss, heartache, and the emotional toll that comes with this profession, I understand firsthand the impact of compassion fatigue. Rooted in my lived experiences, I have cultivated mindfulness practices—including meditation, somatic healing, and parts work—that help combat the symptoms of burnout. These tools allow me to stay present, set healthy boundaries, and nurture my well-being so I can continue showing up authentically and fully for my clients.
Being a business owner and leader with a “fast brained” ADHD mindset, brings its own set of challenges and strengths. While my creativity and energy are great assets, staying organized and focused can be difficult. To manage these demands, I rely on mindfulness, time management, and maintaining clear boundaries. These experiences have given me a unique perspective, which I bring to my work with clients who face similar challenges, helping them embrace their strengths while navigating obstacles with resilience and intention.
As a businesswoman and entrepreneur, I’ve learned the delicate art of balancing heart-centered work with the practicalities of running a business. In a world where not everyone shares the same ideals of genuine connection, giving back and community building, the path has not always been easy. Yet, I remain committed to fostering both personal and professional growth, creating spaces grounded in authentic care for those I serve.
Why do I practice? Because I believe healing is possible for all of us. Through my personal and professional journey, I’ve cultivated the tools and wisdom to help others navigate their challenges and emerge with clarity, strength, and a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them.
* For confidentiality purposes, names and initials have been omitted *
The inJOY sunset meditation is the highlight of my month. I leave refreshed and ready to take on a new day.
“My first experience with being truly mindful, I felt like I was experiencing life for the first time; driving down roads that I have driven for years I noticed flowers for the first time (that have really been there all along), trees as they bud and bloom. It’s like being fully alive for the first time. And, a therapeutic approach which uses mindfulness and breath allows you to experience life; the pleasures along with the pain. But when pain or unpleasantness arise it’s through focusing on breathing and being grounded that you are able to tolerate the pain. And with each occurrence, the painful situation becomes less overwhelming and more tolerable. Working with Kristy has helped me to learn the skills necessary to live in the moment.”
“Kristy has been my therapist for 3 years, she is such a wonderful woman, best ever I’ve known. She has been learning more about yoga in my therapy. If you need therapy you should see her, you will love her. She is great with ASL, just like other Deaf people, she understands me.”
“I have seen Kristy Joy as my therapist. I am Deaf and Kristy Joy knows American Sign Language to communicate with me, which is very helpful. It does make me feel relaxed to talk to her with our ASL. It does make me feel safe because of our languages to understand each other.
Her therapy does help me to understand more about myself and how to help others too. She had been urging me to learn to meditation and mindfulness which I am still trying to work on it. I always get information from her related trying to do the meditation. I’m glad I have found Kristy Joy as my therapist.”
“I just met Kristy as my therapist and wow she knows my background so quickly. She’s a good therapist for the Deaf and she uses her beautiful ASL!!!”
“I have been working with Kristy for almost ten years now and she is so great. I’ve struggled with anxiety my whole life and she’s shown me breathing techniques that are a lifesaver during a stressful anxiety attack. She’s a great therapist who’s never judged me or anything I’ve confided in telling her. I wouldn’t trade her for anyone.”
“After my husband’s sudden death a year ago, I found myself struggling with grief and realized that I needed help coping with my depression. My background of working with students with mental health issues led me to search for someone who would give me the tools to help me on this difficult journey and not recommend medications that mask my anxieties.
A friend recommended Kristy who helped her deal with the loss of her sister. I am so thankful for her recommendation! Kristy is guiding me through this by teaching me mindfulness & breathing exercises which has helped immensely. I find myself living more in the present – not ignoring the past or worrying about the future – but dealing with those thoughts with less anxiety.
To show how breathing has helped, I’ll share this with you. On a recent vacation that was stressful to me (I’m not an experienced traveler and it was the first time without my husband), my travel companion was awakened when she heard me taking 5 deep breaths in my sleep. She was getting ready to wake me when I went into a normal breathing pattern. The next morning she told me about it and I laughed-I was unconsciously using what I’ve learned through breathing to calm myself!
Thank you Kristy for ALL you’re doing to help me learn & grow into this new identity.”
“I have been in therapy for around five years now. I have been through many big changes in my life and that affected me negatively and being able to talk with my therapist, Kristy, who is able to communicate with me in my language helped tremendously. It is rare to have a therapist who can sign and it has been a great time with Kristy, being able to talk my emotions out properly. I was also taught mindfulness and meditation to help with my depression, and it assisted largely in keeping myself stable and still being able to lead a life. I will always be grateful to have someone like Kristy to be willing to work with me, if not for her, I would not be the person I am now.”
“My family has worked with Kristy for almost 10 years. Not only is she an amazing therapist who relates really well with my now teens and young adults but she’s been able to provide therapy in my daughter’s first language, American Sign Language. Finding a great therapist who is fluent in ASL and understands Deaf culture has been a lifesaver for our family. The addition of her mindfulness activities and practices to her therapy have been an added bonus for us all.”
“Kristy helped change my life and brought me to a place that I never thought was possible for me. She took the time and really got to know me, and understood what worked best for me as an individual. I am extremely grateful for everything she has done to improve my life. I can confidently say wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her.”