Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr Joe Elliott.
Dr Joe, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started in the field (1996) while I was still in graduate school, because I had enough coursework in testing and assessment to qualify as a screener for TDCJ’s Mentally Retarded Offender Program.
I got my Master’s in Clinical Psychology in 1998, so promoted to the Sex Offender Treatment Program, where I worked for 14 years as a therapist and team leader.
In 2008, I transferred to Unit Psych on the Ferguson Unit in Midway, Tx. After 4 years, I transferred to the Texas NeuroHIV Research Center at UTMB, where I conducted neuropsychological testing on a couple NIH-grant studies.
It was during that chapter (2018) when I started a part-time private psychotherapy practice downtown. I then also pursued and earned my PhD in Cognition and Instruction Psychology. I retired from UTMB in 2023, at which time I expanded my private practice to full-time.
I work with adult individuals and couples, and my practice is unique because I have Virtual Reality treatment tools for some clients.
In fact, I am the first practitioner in the US to use the IDEGO treatment suite from Italy, and I am their “ambassador” to North America.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Several insurance companies decline to on-board mental health practitioners in Galveston County because they claim there are already enough counselors available, despite a well-documented national shortage.
Also, Medicare/aid do not reimburse Masters-level practitioners. So there are a lot of people who are unable to afford services.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I provide psychotherapy and counseling for adult individuals and couples. I provide assessments to diagnose PTSD and Adult ADD.
I’m particularly proud of my VR services I mentioned above.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’m a Cold War veteran of 7th Special Forces Group, which helps me establish rapport with vets.
And I’m proficient in Spanish.
I’m currently a Founding Director of the new international Society for Immersive Mental Health.
Pricing:
- $100 / hr for individual session; $150 for couple’s session
- In-network for BCBSTX and Aetna
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.galvestonpsych.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-joe-elliott-phd
- Youtube: @joeelliott9456
