- Stress and anxiety
- Practical skills
- Person centered
About Elva
Elva 'Julia' Garafola is a licensed clinical social worker with 12 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and major life changes. She offers calm, straightforward support for people feeling overwhelmed by relationships, grief, career strain, or parenting challenges. Julia writes plainly and listens closely to what matters most to each person who comes in.
Julia centers sessions on the client's goals and values. She uses practical tools from cognitive behavioral therapy to spot unhelpful thinking. She also draws on acceptance and commitment therapy to help people notice difficult feelings and take meaningful action. Attachment-based ideas inform work on connection and trust in relationships.
Her style is collaborative and person-centered. Clients can expect a mix of skill-building, reflective conversation, and real-world planning. The work often includes simple exercises to practice between sessions so progress continues outside the appointment time.
Julia has worked with a wide range of concerns, from trauma and abuse to sleeping problems and caregiver stress. She also supports people dealing with identity questions, LGBT-related issues, and complicated family dynamics. Her background in social work shapes a practical focus on strengths and resources.
Based in Missouri and licensed as an LCSW, Julia aims to help people build resilience and clearer routines. She invites people who are ready to make small, steady changes to take the next step toward feeling more grounded and able to cope.
Julia centers sessions on the client's goals and values. She uses practical tools from cognitive behavioral therapy to spot unhelpful thinking. She also draws on acceptance and commitment therapy to help people notice difficult feelings and take meaningful action. Attachment-based ideas inform work on connection and trust in relationships.
Her style is collaborative and person-centered. Clients can expect a mix of skill-building, reflective conversation, and real-world planning. The work often includes simple exercises to practice between sessions so progress continues outside the appointment time.
Julia has worked with a wide range of concerns, from trauma and abuse to sleeping problems and caregiver stress. She also supports people dealing with identity questions, LGBT-related issues, and complicated family dynamics. Her background in social work shapes a practical focus on strengths and resources.
Based in Missouri and licensed as an LCSW, Julia aims to help people build resilience and clearer routines. She invites people who are ready to make small, steady changes to take the next step toward feeling more grounded and able to cope.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
LGBTFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCompassion fatigue
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual dysfunctionSexualityWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused Therapy
Experience
12+ years
Credentials
Texas, Missouri
Languages
English
Online therapy approaches and what they look like
Julia commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in her work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then take actions that match their values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying thinking patterns that increase anxiety or depression and practicing different ways of responding.She also brings attachment-based ideas into online sessions when relationship trust and patterns are central concerns; this helps people see how early connection experiences shape current reactions. The therapist and client will collaborate to choose which approaches fit best for the client’s goals and situation, and that plan can shift as the work progresses.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm the specific session formats available before booking. Julia aims to make sessions fit into everyday life - options can help when people have limited time, need a shorter check-in during a workday, or prefer not to commute. Talk with the matching process about scheduling so sessions can be arranged around your routine and responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns can I bring to sessions?
Julia works with stress and anxiety along with depression, grief, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, sleeping difficulties, parenting strain, and career-related stress.
What is her general therapy style like?
Her approach is collaborative and person-centered. Sessions combine conversation with practical tools and exercises tailored to each person's goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 12 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker supporting people through life transitions and emotional challenges.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is an LCSW licensed in Texas and Missouri and practices out of Missouri.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How does the cost structure work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin therapy with her?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.