Joseph Germano, LMSW
Joseph Germano, LMSW
Licensed Master Social Worker
Supervised by: Allie Millette, LCSW-S
Pronouns: he/him/his
Being vulnerable with someone can be an intimidating process. So first, I want to say welcome and I’m excited you found your way to my page! The path to healing is full of twists and turns. As we walk this path together, my hope is that you will feel supported enough to navigate the ocean of your mind. Whether you simply read this bio, we meet once, or we work together for several sessions, I am honored to be a part of your healing journey.
About Me & Areas of Interest
My name is Joe and I am originally from the Midwest. I lived in Washington D.C. before moving to Austin where I have lived since 2021. I am inspired by this profession because I believe a large part of healing comes from supporting clients in building community. I aim to do this by integrating therapy, music, and movement—-the mind, body, and soul. I have a passion for experiential therapy and am inspired by the following modalities: Hakomi, Mindfulness, Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I enjoy working with LGBTQ+ individuals, the coming-out process, and relating to one's own identity. I also enjoy working with adults of all ages and find working with people in emerging adulthood particularly fulfilling. I help people navigate various challenges including: life transitions, grief, acceptance, family of origin trauma, relationships, and boundaries. I have worked as a social worker for 5 years in a variety of settings and roles throughout my career, including: LGBTQ+ sexual health clinics, adult behavioral health clinic for co-occurring substance use and disorders, disaster relief, and private practice. From these diverse experiences, I have learned that you are always the expert of your own experience.
Common Goals I’ve Worked on With Clients
● Boundaries and reigniting the joy of being in relationship with others
● Understanding how the environmental and external factors in our lives impact our internal
experience
● Regrounding and finding your way back to your Self and purpose when you feel you’ve lost
your way
● Accessing your full Self: reclaiming the parts of you that you feel ashamed of or push out of
your awareness
Therapeutic Approach
Therapy looks different for each person. However you can think of therapy as both a relationship and an adventure. Therapy is relational, meaning the relationship we create together is what becomes healing. It adheres to a different social contract than friendships and romantic relationships. You can think of me as more of a guide, with you being the expert of your own experience. After all, you are the one spending the most time with yourself.
Therapy is an adventure! If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, imagine that you are Khaleesi and I am one of your dragons (preferably the green one :). My goal is to help you navigate your inner terrain and make it to the “Iron Throne,” which is our destination or goal. What comes up for you when you imagine what life looks like where you feel you no longer need our relationship? Understanding
why we are here and what we are working toward helps us stay grounded and tethered through the challenging parts of therapy. We don’t want to be uncomfortable for no reason!
Once we have established where we are trying to go, we will build a map to get there. As we navigate your inner world together, we will encounter both mysterious and familiar characters that can give us clues and directions to get to our destination. We will explore: which strengths are supporting you in this process and which barriers are hindering you; which skills you want to cultivate to reach your
goal; and what you need to let go of, heal, or change.
I want to meet you as you are in the present moment. I enjoy using curiosity, humility, collaboration, non-judgment, interconnectedness, authenticity, and playfulness in session when it feels right. I also work from an anti-oppressive framework, meaning that understanding how society and culture has
shaped the bodies we are in and how they influence our relationships with ourselves and others is crucial to the healing process. You and I will explore how we can hold multiple identities at the same time (race, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexuality, etc.) and how this overlap creates a unique experience for you.
Although we will not be doing psychedelic-assisted therapy, our work together is psychedelic, which means “soul-manifesting” in Greek. Our work is holistic, connecting the mind, body, and spirit. I believe we each have an inner healing intelligence, guiding us to blossom into our highest potential. Sometimes, we become stuck in this process. I will help you become aware of and access your innate resilience. In doing so, you will reclaim your freedom to live authentically. I’m looking forward to walking with you on this journey!