Joe Early, LCSW

Joe is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience providing mental health services, mentoring, and creating positive relationships with youth, groups, families and adults in a variety of settings.

His journey working with adolescents began at Camp Skylemar in Naples, Maine where he was a full-time water-ski instructor, certified ropes course instructor and camp counselor.  From here he moved on to provide contract services for the Department of Families and Children in Georgia, supervising family visits, teaching parenting skills, providing transportation and over-night supervision for foster children and coordinating with multiple community agencies.  While in this setting, Joe realized he needed to return to school to increase his education and training in order to make more of an impact.

From 2006-2008, Joe attended the University of Georgia Social Work Program, participating in two internships and learning with students and teachers.  His first internship was with The Alcove, a group home for runaway youth and youth experiencing sufficient difficulty at home to require out-of-home residence.  He facilitated therapeutic groups, provided support and encouragement, and assisted in times of crisis with residents.  His second internship was as a Juvenile Parole and Probation Specialist with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.  Here he worked with adjudicated youth, providing mentor services, accountability, and supervision.  Experiences in this internship further solidified his perspective that meeting youth in the home, school and community is an important adjunct to meeting in a formal office setting.

Since graduating with his Master’s of Social Work, Joe has focused his energy in providing community-based mental health care to children, adolescents and adults.  Along the way, he has creatively utilized natural settings to enhance the therapeutic relationship and provide opportunities for participants to relax, grow and enjoy themselves.  Current sessions include hiking, telehealth, camp chair sessions, and office sessions.  You can expect a blend of processing and reframing the past, explorations into mindfulness and meditation, and exploring how to create a future that you feel excited to live in.

Joe is extremely excited about the possibilities that lie within the approach of Blue Ridge Treks, LLC.  He believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship, the ability for nature to provide opportunities for personal and communal growth, and most importantly the ability for positive change to occur with an individual who is dedicated to this pursuit.