Maria Celestina 'Joecel' Simkins, LCSW

Licensed in California · 6 years in practice

Maria Celestina 'Joecel' Simkins helps people facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, depression, and big life changes.

License and registration

LCSW, California: 114292 · expires March 2027
NPI: 1851919716 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 6
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Maria

Maria Celestina 'Joecel' Simkins helps people facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, depression, and big life changes. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and practices in California. Joecel writes simply and listens closely to understand what matters to each person.

Joecel focuses on practical steps that fit a person's life. She likes to build on strengths people already have and to set small, doable goals. Sessions tend to be conversational and grounded in real situations, not jargon.

Background and approach

Her background includes six years of clinical experience working with adults across a wide age span. That experience includes helping people work through abandonment, body image, codependency, communication problems, and feelings of emptiness. She also supports those dealing with family problems, guilt and shame, and questions about sexuality or life purpose.

Joecel brings attention to multicultural and immigration-related concerns, and she has worked with people managing post-traumatic stress and other trauma-related reactions. Her style aims to make space for difficult emotions while helping clients find clearer next steps. People meeting Joecel can expect a warm, person-centered approach that emphasizes strengths and practical change.

She frames therapy as a collaboration where the client’s voice guides the work. Sessions focus on what the person needs now and what can be tried between meetings to build progress.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Maria lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Online support

Evidence-based approaches and online care

Joecel works from evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical coping and healing. One approach emphasizes building on existing strengths and setting small goals to reduce anxiety and depression; this helps people break big problems into manageable steps. Another common focus is trauma-informed care, which pays attention to how past hurt can affect current behavior and mood, and helps people develop safer ways to respond and cope.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Joecel will listen to a person's needs, goals, and preferences and then suggest techniques to try. Together they check what helps and adapt the plan over time so the work feels useful and realistic.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different rhythms of life. Video calls work well for deeper conversations, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is low, live chat is helpful for brief check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between meetings. These options make therapy more flexible for work, school, or busy schedules while keeping the focus on practical progress and connection.

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Questions people ask

What concerns does Joecel help with?

She supports people coping with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, depression, and life transitions. There are also focused areas like abandonment, body image, codependency, and multicultural concerns.

What is her therapeutic style like?

She uses a person-centered, strengths-based approach that emphasizes practical steps. Sessions are conversational and aimed at small, manageable changes.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has six years of professional experience working in clinical settings with adults across a wide age range. That background includes trauma-related and multicultural work.

Where is she licensed and practicing?

She holds a Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential, LCSW, and practices in California.

Which languages are supported during sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

Sessions can be via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.

How are sessions billed or paid for?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I start working with her?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling sessions according to therapist availability.

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