Dr. Charles Hoy-Ellis

Dr. Charles Hoy-Ellis is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) practicing in Washington with 21 years of experience. He works with people facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, and concerns related to sexual and gender diversity. He also addresses struggles around forgiveness, guilt and shame, isolation and loneliness, and questions about life purpose.

Hoy-Ellis draws on a psychodynamic and phenomenological perspective to understand how past experiences shape present thoughts and behavior. He explains how habits learned to protect someone early in life can stop serving them later on. He also pays attention to how larger social forces influence mental and physical health for people who are sexual and gender diverse.

His training and work experience include community and private practice settings in the Puget Sound region. He describes a contextual clinical approach that links psychological challenges to the social environment across time. That perspective often looks at how internalized stigma and social expectations affect mood, anxiety, and self-view.

In sessions he mixes foundational psychodynamic ideas with a variety of practical tools. He may draw on cognitive behavioral, narrative, or rational-emotive-behavioral practices when those methods fit the situation. He emphasizes collaboration and respects that each person knows their life best.

For people who feel stuck after a change or unsure of what matters next, he offers a steady, inquiry-based way of working. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.

How his approaches translate to online work

Dr. Hoy-Ellis describes a psychodynamic and phenomenological approach that traces how early experiences shape current thoughts and behaviors; this helps when someone wants to understand why patterns repeat and how meanings developed over time. He also uses cognitive behavioral techniques, which focus on noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavioral changes to reduce anxiety or low mood. Narrative practices help people reframe life stories and examine the meanings they give to difficult events.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. He will collaborate with each person to select methods that fit their goals and preferences, and adjust techniques as new needs emerge. That collaborative process is aimed at figuring out what helps most for the concerns brought into sessions.

Session formats are not listed in the original biography, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online work can make scheduling easier and reduce time lost to travel. It can also allow shorter check-ins, phone-only conversations when video is not convenient, or video meetings when face-to-face interaction helps a person engage. Those practical benefits can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life.