Alumna Credits Her St. John’s Education for Success in Treating Mental Health Clients

Together, they experimented with various techniques to help reduce the client’s stressful condition. One day, Ms. Moore-Ellis, of Baldwin, NY, arrived at a therapy session with art supplies, and they set about creating an “anxiety monster.”

“The client named the anxiety monster and gave it a voice,” Ms. Moore-Ellis explained. They handed the anxiety monster off to the client’s mother. 

“During the next several sessions, the client realized she no longer had to hold onto the anxiety she was experiencing because her mom was taking care of that—and that realization helped to reduce the client’s anxiety significantly,” said the mental health counselor, who completed her Master of Science degree in Education in January 2024 through St. John’s University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. 

She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice in 2014 from the College of Professional Studies, now known as The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies.

Ms. Moore-Ellis credits the education she received at St. John’s, as well as her mentor at the University, Nouna Jalilzadeh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Counselor Education, for equipping her with the skills required to effectively treat those facing the often-daunting challenges of mental health issues. 

“Dr. Jalilzadeh has been instrumental in supporting me throughout my time at St. John’s,” she said. “She has challenged me to think outside of the box, meet clients where they are, reflect, and provide quality care.” 

In addition, Ms. Moore-Ellis received extensive fieldwork experience in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program that thoroughly prepared her to help many clients with various mental health concerns. She said she also gained invaluable experience when, as a graduate student, she was awarded an internship within the counseling department at The School of Education. 

“Being a mental health counselor can be tough,” she observed, when speaking about factors future students should consider when choosing a master’s program in mental health counseling. “Sometimes, clients have heavy stories that can affect you. On days when the work is heavy, or you are overwhelmed, it is important to return to your purpose.” 

“The purpose of being a mental health counselor,” she added, “is to provide a safe space for clients to explore and process their emotions—to support clients through some of the toughest times in their lives and help them as they learn more about themselves.”

Ms. Moore-Ellis strives to work with her clients to best meet their needs and create an environment of ease, care, and supported vulnerability. ​Her St. John’s education, training, and life experience consistently inform her work. She is a mental health counselor at Helping Hands Psychotherapy, a practice in Rockville Centre, NY, specializing in perinatal and maternal mental health. 

She traces her dedication to education to her mother, who raised Ms. Moore-Ellis and her three brothers in a one-bedroom apartment. “We didn’t have much, but my mother stressed the value of education.” 

Ms. Moore-Ellis is passing that legacy on to her two children, Autumn, 10, and Noah, 7. “Both are following in my footsteps of Catholic education, and I hope they will become Johnnies in the future!”