Today we’d like to introduce you to Joy Kelleher.
Hi Joy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey has unfolded over more than 30 years as a social worker, therapist, consultant, and nonprofit leader. I began my career providing direct services to individuals and families and eventually expanded into system-level change, program development, and international advocacy. Along the way, I’ve worked with communities across the U.S., Canada, and Europe developing trauma-informed programs and training professionals to better respond to complex needs such as human trafficking, foster care, and community development.
Today, my work includes operating a private psychotherapy practice, leading Project Yet—a nonprofit supporting young adults transitioning into adulthood—and serving on several boards for organizations dedicated to youth, wellness, and community resilience. I also facilitate women’s circles and retreats through the Sacred Woman Collective and continue exploring integrative healing modalities, cultural collaboration, and wellness innovation.
At every stage, my work has been grounded in a simple belief: healing happens in relationship and community, not isolation.
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?
Smooth? No. Worth it? Absolutely.
Working in trauma-affected spaces—human trafficking, child welfare, community healing—means facing heartbreaking stories, complex systems, and moments where it feels like progress is measured in inches, not miles. There were seasons where burnout was real, where I questioned whether change was possible, and where cultural, political, or resource barriers felt immovable.
When I began doing international work, particularly with Indigenous communities and child-protection systems abroad, I had to unlearn the idea that expertise alone creates change. Trust takes time. Collaboration requires humility. And healing must be culturally led, not imported.
There were mistakes, pivots, and moments where the work asked more of me emotionally than I expected. But every challenge clarified what matters most: people deserve dignity, belonging, and support—and change happens when we build relationships strong enough to carry that truth.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is rooted in a guiding belief: people heal in community, and every person deserves a sense of belonging. That idea informs everything I do, whether I’m supporting individuals, strengthening programs, or helping systems evolve.
Professionally, I’m a licensed clinical social worker specializing in trauma-informed mental health, identity development, and integrative healing. I run a psychotherapy practice where I support individuals in navigating trauma, transition, and the relational work of becoming who they are meant to be.
I also serve as the Founder and Board President of Project Yet, a nonprofit supporting young adults who are transitioning into adulthood. We focus on stable housing, mentorship, life skills, and—most importantly—connection and community. The work is not about charity or rescue; it’s about belonging, dignity, and partnership with young adults as they build independent and meaningful lives.
Beyond this local work, I consult internationally with nonprofits, government systems, and child-serving agencies on trauma-informed systems of care, foster care, and programs that support children and youth who have experienced trauma, are in the care system, or may have developmental or neurodivergent needs such as autism. My role often includes training, program development, leadership support, and helping systems shift from compliance-focused models to relational, evidence-informed, and culturally responsive approaches.
I also facilitate women’s circles, retreats, and healing spaces that integrate clinical frameworks with somatic therapies, Reiki, breathwork, ritual, and community-based practices. That work is deeply relational—it’s about creating spaces where people feel safe enough to connect, reflect, and grow.
Writing has become another extension of my work. Through my Substack publication, I explore themes of trauma, resilience, belonging, transition, and the very human process of healing. It’s another doorway into community and connection—one story, one reflection, one shared experience at a time.
If there is something that sets my work apart, it may be the ability to bridge worlds—clinical and intuitive, policy and practice, global systems change and deeply personal community-level connection. The work is always relational, always collaborative, and always grounded in the belief that healing happens with—not at—people.
And ultimately, my hope is simple: to leave the world better—at least the parts of it I inhabit and influence—by helping build communities where belonging is possible and healing can take root.
I am also an assistant college swim coach at Brenau University, I teach Reiki, and am a passionate animal lover
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about this city is that it still feels like community matters. People look up, say hello, and make space for one another. There’s a generosity here—of spirit, time, and attention—that reminds me that healing and belonging aren’t abstract concepts, but lived experiences. And being surrounded by the lakes, trails, and natural beauty of North Georgia gives us an ongoing invitation to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with ourselves and each other.
What I like least is that not everyone feels that sense of belonging yet. There are still people who remain outside the circle—young adults, newcomers, those without support networks, or anyone whose identity or life experience doesn’t mirror the majority culture. My hope is that we continue widening the circle so everyone feels seen, welcomed, and included.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thrive-with-joy.com; www.projectyet.org; www.thrivegainesville.com; www.sacredwomancollective.com
- Instagram: @joymkelleher @SacredWomanCollective @projectyetinc
- Facebook: joylohrkelleher
- Other: https://substack.com/@thrivingwithjoy
