Richard B. Joelson, DSW, has been a clinical social work psychotherapist, educator, and administrator since 1970. He received his master's degree from Columbia University School of Social Work and his Doctor of Social Welfare degree from Hunter College School of Social Work at the City University of New York.
In addition, Dr. Joelson’s private practice in New York City provides counseling and psychotherapy services to individuals and couples. He has been the executive director of a mental health clinic and the Director of Admissions and Student Affairs at New York University School of Social Work. He was an assistant professor of social work at New York University and taught in both the doctoral program and the post-master’s program in social work administration at Hunter College School of Social Work.
His clinical practice includes work with a wide variety of individuals whose presenting problems are quite diverse. Many of his clients seek counseling or psychotherapy services on their own or are referred by others for specific help with the following:
- psychological disturbances rooted in trauma or traumatic memories utilizing eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- self-defeating behaviors: people who habitually undermine themselves or find themselves drawn to situations or relationships where they will be disappointed, fail, or be mistreated
- work-related stress reactions
- competence and resilience deficits: people who need help acquiring or strengthening coping, problem-solving, and communication skills
- "micro-counseling" for the "hard-to-reach," chronically resistant, or functionally "stuck" client
Dr. Joelson recently participated in a Phoenix-based radio series entitled, "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" and presented a paper at the National Association of Social Workers Annual Conference. Along with his counseling and psychotherapy services he is a voiceover artist and narrated an internationally distributed audio and videotape designed to encourage fathers to participate in family planning programs. His paper entitled, “Bereavement Work After 9/11” was published in the Met Chapter Forum, the newsletter for the New York State Society for Clinical Social Work. This article is available in the Published Articles section of this website.
Dr. Joelson has been a Disaster Mental Health Volunteer with the American Red Cross of Greater New York since September 12, 2001. His activities included direct services to families affected by the attacks on the World Trade Center and, more recently, those affected by the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He is scheduled to teach a course for the Red Cross entitled, “Psychological First Aid;” a program intended to help non-mental health Red Cross volunteers and non-mental health employees effectively assist disaster victims served by the American Red Cross.
His background also includes a tour of duty with the United States Peace Corps in Liberia, West Africa (1965-67) where he was a teacher, as well as a clinical social work psychotherapist in a tribal mental hospital and outpatient clinic where he introduced Western mental health services to Liberian citizens.
