About us
The same great team. A name that fits the care.
Joy Mental Health Group is formerly Joy Family Center — therapy, assessment, and medication management under one roof, offered with Midwest hospitality.
Asking for help can be one of the toughest challenges a person can face — and it is also a powerful step toward a better life. Many people wear a mask to hide their struggles. We believe we have to face those struggles to get through them. By the time someone reaches out, they have often tried everything they can on their own: talking to friends, searching the internet, the latest advice from a feed. When the usual means do not help, it is a good time to consult the experts. We like to say you would not wait for cancer to become stage 4 to start treatment, and mental health is not different. There is no shame in wanting to feel better, to be a better member of your family or relationship, or simply to understand your own inner workings.
At Joy Mental Health Group — formerly Joy Family Center — we celebrate the courage it takes to ask for help. We applaud people who choose improvement over silent suffering. Life is full of stressors, and negative experiences can touch relationships, work, and the joy you used to feel. Just as a car goes to a mechanic for both routine maintenance and more serious repairs, mental health deserves the same kind of care. No one should feel judged for facing a challenge; the useful move is to find a solution.
We want everyone who walks through our doors to feel comfortable, respected, and cared for. The work rests on a strong therapeutic relationship and evidence-based treatment. Honesty, openness, and direct communication are at the heart of it. Our clinicians are here to help you move forward with purpose and meaning — to accept you as you are today and support a healthier, happier life. A better life is not just possible. It is within reach.
Who you’ll hear from
The office team.
When you get started, a real person at Joy checks benefits, answers the phone, and helps you land with the right clinician — so you’re never surprised by a bill.
Chariya (Fai) Joy
Operations Administrator
Chariya (Fai) Joy is the operations administrator for Joy Mental Health Group. She is a registered nurse with a BSN and an MBA, and she keeps the offices, schedules, and day-to-day systems running so clinicians can stay with patients. Patients may not always meet her, but the smoothness of a visit usually has her fingerprints on it.
Jennifer Jakubowski
Office Manager
Jen is the warm person who answers the phone and the email. She comes to the practice after years in optical administration and project management at a CPA firm, plus double majors in Communications and Theater from Eastern Michigan University. She is passionate about mental health and about the detailed work of matching people with clinicians and checking benefits before care starts — so patients are never surprised by a bill. When she is not at the desk she is often on a Ypsilanti stage, or walking Katie, her terrier beagle.
Kristen Hicks
Connections Coordinator
Kristen Hicks is the connections coordinator. She creates, fosters, and maintains relationships with community partners so the clinical team can be a resource — and so patients can be pointed toward resources beyond the consulting room. She also takes part in outreach programs around Michigan. Outside of work she is a new mom, a commercially licensed drone pilot, and someone who would rather be moving than sitting still.
A few practical answers
Questions people ask first.
- Where is Joy Mental Health Group located?
- We have four Michigan offices — Ann Arbor (Washtenaw County), West Bloomfield (Oakland County), East Lansing (Ingham County, near MSU), and Macomb Township (Macomb County) — plus secure telehealth for anyone in the state. Free parking, warm, comfortable, and in your neighborhood.
- Are you the same as Joy Family Center?
- Yes. Joy Mental Health Group is formerly Joy Family Center — the same clinicians and offices, with a name that better fits therapy, assessment, and medication management under one roof.
- Do you take insurance in Michigan?
- We are in network with most major commercial plans from any state, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, HAP, McLaren, and others. Some clinicians accept Medicaid. Cash pay is always available.
- Do you offer telehealth therapy in Michigan?
- Yes. Anyone physically in Michigan can meet a Joy clinician by secure video — therapy, assessment follow-up, and medication management — without traveling to an office.
- Do you see children, teens, and college students?
- Yes. We see children, teens, college students, adults, and older adults. Play therapy, family work, and campus-friendly scheduling are part of everyday care, not extras.
- Do you offer ADHD testing and psychological assessment?
- Yes. Licensed psychologists provide ADHD evaluations, cognitive/IQ testing, autism and learning questions, and diagnostic clarification in Ann Arbor, West Bloomfield, East Lansing, Macomb, and by telehealth. Assessment is billed to Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, or cash pay.
- Do you provide medication management?
- Yes. Stephen Ereg, FNP-C, provides psychiatric medication management for children as young as six, teens, and adults, in the office or by telehealth across Michigan.
- How do I find a therapist who is a good fit?
- Make an appointment on this site. A few questions about who needs care, insurance, location, and what would help — then suggested clinicians with a clear reason for each. If you already know what you need, you can send a short request instead.
- Do you see University of Michigan and Michigan State students?
- Yes. The Ann Arbor office is a short drive from the U-M Diag, and the East Lansing office is minutes from MSU. College students can also meet by telehealth anywhere in Michigan.
- How soon can I get an appointment?
- We often have providers with immediate availability. Make an appointment on this site, choose “see who can start now,” or call 734-215-5853.
- Do you bill ADHD testing to insurance?
- Yes. ADHD and related psychological assessment can be billed to Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Care Network. Cash pay is also available. We check benefits before testing starts.
- Do you take Blue Cross Blue Shield in Michigan?
- Yes. Joy Mental Health Group is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Care Network for therapy and, for assessment, ADHD testing. We also take many other commercial plans from any state. Call 734-215-5853 to check your benefits before you start.
- Is there a psychiatrist or medication provider on staff?
- Stephen Ereg, FNP-C, provides psychiatric medication management for children as young as six, teens, and adults — in Ann Arbor, West Bloomfield, East Lansing, Macomb, or by telehealth anywhere in Michigan.
- How do I start therapy in Ann Arbor, West Bloomfield, East Lansing, or Macomb?
- Make an appointment at choosejoymi.com/fit or call 734-215-5853. Tell us who needs care, insurance or cash pay, and which office or telehealth you prefer. We match you with a clinician and check benefits so there are no surprises.
- Do you have a therapist near Ypsilanti, Saline, or Dexter?
- Yes. Our Ann Arbor office on Washtenaw Avenue is a short drive from Ypsilanti, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, and the University of Michigan and EMU campuses. Telehealth is available anywhere in Michigan.
- Is there a therapist near Farmington Hills or Bloomfield?
- Yes. The West Bloomfield office on Orchard Lake Road serves Farmington Hills, Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, and Commerce Township, with free parking on site.
- Do you see Michigan State and Lansing-area students?
- Yes. The East Lansing office is minutes from MSU, Okemos, Haslett, DeWitt, and downtown Lansing. College students can also meet by telehealth from a dorm or apartment anywhere in the state.
- Is there a Macomb Township or Clinton Township therapist?
- Yes. Our Macomb office on Leone Drive serves Macomb Township, Clinton Township, Romeo, Mount Clemens, and Shelby Township — so families do not have to drive to Ann Arbor for therapy, ADHD testing, or medication.