(he/him)
New to Grow
I’m Joseph Contes, but many call me “Joe”. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Qualified Supervisor, and founder of Crosscurrent Health. My approach to therapy is grounded, thoughtful, and collaborative, with a focus on helping people feel understood while building practical tools for lasting change. I work with children ages 8 and up, adolescents, adults, and families navigating anxiety, trauma, emotional overwhelm, identity development, relationship concerns, and life transitions. Over the years, I have worked across a wide range of clinical settings including crisis services, emergency psychiatry, community mental health, correctional environments, and higher education. Those experiences have shaped the way I approach therapy today: calm, adaptable, and centered on meeting people where they are without judgment. I understand that reaching out for support can feel vulnerable, and I believe therapy works best when it feels like a steady, genuine partnership rather than a one-size-fits-all process. My work integrates evidence-based approaches including CBT, CPT, TF-CBT, and family-focused interventions while remaining flexible to each person’s needs, strengths, and goals. I also provide LGBTQIA+ affirming care and strive to create a space where clients feel emotionally safe, respected, and empowered to explore their experiences openly. At the heart of my work is the belief that growth happens when clarity meets support. Whether someone is working through past experiences, managing current stressors, or trying to reconnect with themselves and others, my goal is to help them move forward with greater confidence, resilience, and steadiness through life’s crosscurrents.
The first session is a chance for us to begin building a comfortable and supportive foundation for therapy. My goal is to create a space where you feel heard, respected, and able to show up as you are without pressure to have everything figured out. Starting therapy can feel unfamiliar or even overwhelming, so we move at a pace that feels manageable for you. During our first session, we will talk about what brought you to therapy, the challenges or stressors you may be experiencing, and what you hope to gain from the process. I may ask questions about your emotional health, relationships, personal history, coping patterns, strengths, and current supports to better understand the full picture of your experiences. For children and adolescents, this may also include time spent understanding family dynamics, school concerns, and developmental needs. The first session is not about judgment or forcing you to revisit difficult experiences before you are ready. It is about understanding where you are now, identifying what feels important to you, and beginning to develop a plan that aligns with your goals. Clients often leave the first session with a clearer sense of direction, practical next steps, and a better understanding of how therapy with me may support them moving forward. Above all, you can expect a calm, collaborative, and thoughtful approach focused on helping you feel more grounded, supported, and understood.
I believe one of the things that stands out most about me is the way I try to make therapy feel human. Many people come into therapy carrying experiences they have never fully said out loud, or feeling exhausted from trying to hold everything together on their own. My goal is to create a space where clients do not feel judged, rushed, or like they have to “perform” healing. I want people to feel safe enough to simply be themselves. Clients often describe me as calm, grounded, and easy to talk to. Even when conversations are difficult or emotionally heavy, I work to help people feel supported and understood rather than overwhelmed. I think healing happens best when someone feels genuinely seen and knows they do not have to navigate things alone. I also bring a wide range of experience working with trauma, crisis situations, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and major life transitions. Those experiences have shaped me into a therapist who can sit with complexity while still helping clients find clarity, direction, and practical ways forward. I try to balance empathy with honesty and support with meaningful growth. Above all, I approach therapy as a collaborative relationship. I see the people I work with as more than a diagnosis or a problem to solve. Whether I am working with a child, adolescent, adult, or family, I want clients to leave sessions feeling a little more understood, a little less alone, and more confident in their ability to move through life’s challenges with steadiness and self-trust.
Many of the individuals and families I work with are carrying more than others realize. Some feel overwhelmed by anxiety, trauma, stress, identity concerns, relationship challenges, or major life transitions. Others may appear high-functioning on the outside while internally feeling emotionally exhausted, disconnected, stuck, or unsure of how to move forward. I work with children, adolescents, adults, and families who are looking for a supportive and grounded space to better understand themselves, strengthen coping skills, and create meaningful change. Parents often seek support for children or teens struggling with emotional regulation, behavioral concerns, anxiety, or the impact of difficult experiences. Adults frequently come to therapy wanting greater clarity, balance, confidence, and a stronger sense of stability in their lives and relationships. My approach is thoughtful, collaborative, and affirming. I integrate evidence-based practices including CBT, CPT, TF-CBT, and family therapy while tailoring treatment to each person’s unique experiences and goals. Therapy with me is not about judgment or perfection. It is about creating a steady space where growth, healing, and resilience can take shape at a pace that feels manageable and meaningful.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a practical, goal-oriented approach that helps identify how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors influence one another. In sessions, we work together to recognize unhelpful thinking patterns, explore how they impact daily life, and develop healthier ways of responding to stress, emotions, and challenges. CBT focuses on building tools and strategies that can support lasting change both inside and outside of therapy.
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based treatment often used to help individuals process trauma and its lasting impact. In therapy, we explore how traumatic experiences can shape beliefs about safety, trust, control, self-worth, and relationships. Through guided reflection and structured techniques, CPT helps clients challenge unhelpful thoughts connected to trauma, reduce emotional distress, and move toward greater clarity, healing, and resilience.
Trauma-Focused CBT
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a structured, evidence-based approach designed to support children, adolescents, and families who have experienced trauma or overwhelming life events. Therapy helps young people develop healthy coping skills, process difficult experiences in a safe and supportive environment, and strengthen emotional regulation and communication. TF-CBT also involves caregiver participation when appropriate, helping families build understanding, connection, and support throughout the healing process.
Gender-affirming therapy
Gender-affirming therapy provides a supportive and respectful space for individuals exploring or navigating their gender identity and expression. Therapy may focus on self-understanding, emotional well-being, identity development, relationships, coping with stress or discrimination, and building confidence in living authentically. The approach is collaborative, affirming, and centered on honoring each person’s unique experience, goals, and sense of self.
Family Therapy
Family therapy focuses on strengthening communication, understanding, and connection within the family system. Sessions may help families navigate conflict, life transitions, parenting concerns, behavioral challenges, trauma, or relationship stress in a supportive and collaborative environment. The goal is to improve patterns of interaction, build healthier dynamics, and support each family member while working toward greater stability and connection together.