I’m Joseph Hopper, a Licensed Professional Counselor at The Banyan Tree Center in Athens, Georgia. I work with adults navigating anxiety, substance misuse, ADHD, life transitions, and the complicated experience of figuring out who you are and where you’re going. I see clients in person in Athens and via telehealth.

I’m a native Athenian. I’ve been a college student here, worked in the service industry here, and built my whole adult life in Athens. When someone comes in dealing with the pressures of UGA, the culture of this city, or what it actually feels like to grow up and find yourself here, I get it in a way that’s hard to fake. I earned both my Bachelor’s in Sociology and my Master’s in Professional Counseling at UGA, and I’ve been doing this work since 2018.

I studied sociology in undergrad and spent a long time learning about the larger forces that shape people’s lives. For a while I couldn’t figure out how to turn that knowledge into something useful. Counseling became the answer. It let me take what I understood about the world, along with my own struggles, and use it to help people in my community.

Before private practice I worked in outpatient settings and in a residential treatment facility for addiction, where I led groups and did individual counseling. That experience gave me a deep respect for how hard it is to ask for help, and how much courage it takes to show up and do the work.

I’m open, patient, and easy to talk to. I’m not here to evaluate you or your choices. I’m here to listen, ask questions, and share what I’ve learned through nine years of training and experience. My approach is person-centered, which means you lead and I follow.

“The more we can be vulnerable about our true and sometimes messy selves, the closer we get to living fully, authentically, and with a sense of ease.”

Background and Credentials

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), State of Georgia (2022)
• MS in Professional Counseling, University of Georgia (2018)
• BS in Sociology, University of Georgia
• 9 years of clinical experience
• Extensive training in substance misuse, abuse, and addiction
• Training in anxiety, IFS, attachment, ACT, and perfectionism
• Training in working with sexually marginalized clients
• Background in outpatient and residential addiction treatment settings

How I Work

• In person · The Banyan Tree Center, Athens GA
• Telehealth available
• Adults 18+

Approaches: Person-centered · Parts work (IFS) · Motivational interviewing · Narrative therapy · CBT · ACT

What I Specialize In

Anxiety in Athens, GA

Who I work with: Anxiety usually shows up as overthinking, especially about the future. What might go wrong, what threats or fears are around the corner, what could happen. It can feel like your brain is stuck in a loop you can’t turn off, and it’s exhausting.

What we do together: I take a mind, body, and deeper roots approach. We identify the anxious thoughts and what triggers them, work on the physical experience of anxiety with tools like breathing, and then dig into the beliefs and experiences underneath that are creating the sense of threat. The goal is to move toward awareness, self-regulation, and decisions based on what you actually want rather than what you’re afraid of.

Substance Misuse and Addiction in Athens, GA

Who I work with: It usually starts with questions. How big of a problem is this? Why do I keep doing something I want to stop? What is a better way to cope? There’s a lot of uncertainty and often a lot of shame. Most people coming in aren’t sure what they need yet, and that’s okay.

What we do together: I create a space where we can get really honest about what’s going on. Substance misuse is usually a symptom of something else happening underneath. My goal is to help you figure out what that might be so you can address it in a way that actually lasts. I have nine years of experience in this area, including time in residential treatment, and strong connections in Athens if a higher level of care is needed.

ADHD in Athens, GA

Who I work with: People with ADHD often come in dealing with trouble focusing, procrastination, disorganization, and sometimes substance use as a way of coping. There can also be a lot of frustration, shame, and a pattern of feeling like they keep falling short even when they’re trying their best. A lot of people arrive not even sure if ADHD is what’s going on, just knowing that the way their brain works has made things harder than it feels like it should be.

What we do together: We work on building structure, moving away from coping habits that aren’t serving you, and building real understanding of how your brain actually works. We also take a look at what environments, routines, and strategies fit your specific brain, because ADHD looks different for everyone and a one-size approach rarely works.

Life Transitions in Athens, GA

Who I work with: Breakups, graduation, career changes, job loss, grief, aging, relationship shifts, feeling stuck or indecisive. Change is hard even when it’s expected, and sometimes it hits in ways you didn’t see coming. A lot of people come in not knowing exactly what they need, just knowing something has shifted and they can’t find their footing.

What we do together: We explore and process what the change means for you and work on building self-compassion along the way. We identify what you actually want and break it into small, doable steps so that moving forward feels possible rather than overwhelming.

College Students and Young Adults in Athens, GA

Who I work with: College is intense. Building identity, navigating relationships, managing stress and anxiety, figuring out who you are and what you want, sometimes while also dealing with substance use or depression. It’s exciting and profound and also really hard, especially in a place like Athens where there’s a lot going on and a lot of pressure coming from a lot of directions.

What we do together: I bring all of the above alongside a genuine understanding of UGA, Athens, and what it actually feels like to live and grow here. I’ve been a student here. I’ve navigated this place. That context matters and I use it. I want to be a hand up for people making that leap to adulthood, and a compassionate ear for everything that comes with it.

A Few Things I Want You to Know

Before your first session: Feeling nervous before a first session is completely normal and I make sure to be as open and transparent as possible from the start. I’m easygoing and easy to talk to. You don’t have to have anything figured out before you walk in.

Something I wish more people knew: Most people already know more than they think they do about what they need and how to get there. Sometimes it just takes a little bit of help to get the ball rolling. You’re probably closer than you think.

Who I do my best work with: College students and people making that leap into adulthood. It’s one of the most intense, complicated, and meaningful transitions a person goes through. I love being part of that. I want to be a steady, compassionate presence for people in the middle of figuring it all out.