Dr. Joseph Vandergriff, RI Psychologist

Rhode Island · 28 years in practice

Dr. Joseph Vandergriff is a licensed psychologist practicing in Rhode Island with 28 years of experience.

License and registration

Psychologist, Rhode Island: PS01026 · expires June 2026
NPI: 1225228612 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 28
Languages: English

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

About Joseph

Dr. Joseph Vandergriff is a licensed psychologist practicing in Rhode Island with 28 years of experience. He focuses on common and painful struggles like low self-esteem, anxiety, stress, grief, career uncertainty, and compassion fatigue.

He aims to help people find a clearer path forward through steady, practical conversation. He leans on existential ideas that look at meaning, choice, and responsibility in people’s lives. He also uses client-centered work to prioritize each person's goals and rhythm in sessions.

Background and approach

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques are used when it helps to change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. Sessions tend to be straightforward and conversational. He listens for what matters most to each person and then helps identify small, doable changes.

When life has shifted because of loss, a job change, or trauma, he focuses on coping strategies that fit day-to-day life. Dr. Vandergriff also pays attention to stressors that come with aging, caregiving, disaster response, first responder work, and workplace pressures.

He supports people dealing with midlife shifts, divorce or separation, traumatic brain injury, or post-traumatic stress in ways that respect each person’s pace. People can expect an approach that balances exploration of life meaning with practical tools. Joseph uses plain language and keeps sessions focused on the next steps someone can try.

His background as a psychologist and long experience shape how he blends listening with action.

Focus areas and approaches

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

Self esteem
Coping with life changes
Stress, Anxiety
Grief
Career difficulties
Compassion fatigue
Aging and geriatric issues
Caregiver issues and stress
Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
Divorce and separation
First responder issues
Forgiveness
Midlife crisis
Post-traumatic stress
Traumatic brain injury
Workplace issues

Approaches Joseph names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Dr. Vandergriff uses Existential Therapy to look at questions of meaning, choice, and responsibility in life. This approach can help when someone feels stuck, faces big changes, or is rethinking life direction. He also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which centers the session on what the person wants and moves at their pace. This is useful for people who need steady, accepting listening as they sort out problems.

Finding the right approach is often a team effort. He works together with each person to try different ways of working and chooses methods that match their goals, needs, and daily life. That collaborative process lets him combine meaning-focused work with practical tools when that fits best.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions are good when visual cues help the conversation. Phone calls require less bandwidth and can be easier during a busy day. Live chat and text messages can support quick check-ins, short reflections, or ongoing support between longer sessions. These options provide flexibility for people balancing work, caregiving, and other demands while still getting consistent therapeutic support.

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Questions people ask

Which concerns does this therapist help with?

He supports people facing low self-esteem, anxiety, stress, grief, career issues, and compassion fatigue. Additional focus areas include aging and geriatric issues, caregiver stress, disaster response, divorce and separation, first responder issues, forgiveness, midlife crisis, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and workplace problems.

What is his style and therapeutic approach?

He combines an existential outlook with client-centered listening and CBT techniques. Sessions are conversational, focused on meaning and choice, and on practical steps people can use day to day.

How much experience does he have?

He has 28 years of professional experience as a psychologist. That background informs how he pairs listening with practical interventions.

Where is he based and what are his credentials?

He practices in Rhode Island and holds the credential RI Psychologist PS01026 as a Rhode Island psychologist.

Are sessions offered in other languages or internationally?

Sessions are offered in English, and he accepts international clients.

What session formats are available?

He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.

How does pricing work for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with him?

Start by clicking the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on therapist availability.

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