About Present Joy Counseling
Present Joy Counseling LLC was founded by Claire Zugec, LPC in 2021 as a way to expand her desire to help others search for, wrestle with, and find joy in the everyday.
Offering therapy techniques that assist you in making positive changes in your life while enabling you to explore aspects of faith and healing, we believe in working together with you to support personal growth and reflection while honoring where you are on this journey.
Claire Zugec, LPC
Claire is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has worked in the mental health field for the past 10+ years. She earned her BA in English and Theology (2005) from Assumption College (Worcester, MA), and her MA in Counseling (2009) from Franciscan University of Steubenville (Steubenville, OH). She has experience providing individual and family counseling with children, adolescents and adults.
Before starting Present Joy Counseling, Claire worked in several in-home based mental health programs, as well as providing school-based therapy in local middle school and high schools. Most recently she worked in an outpatient private practice setting, which ignited the desire to start her own practice. She currently serves as a therapist for Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats of Pittsburgh, which offers post-abortive healing weekends for men and women.
Originally from the snowy and beautiful Vermont, Claire has called Pittsburgh her home for some time now, and loves the small town feel of the city! She enjoys exploring the area, especially through various outdoor ventures with her husband and four children. She is passionate about her faith and striving to live it out daily, and loves her own journey of striving to find joy in the everyday
“I believe in the ability we each have to make our lives into something beautiful and worthwhile. I believe we can change for the better by working through whatever has gotten in the way of that for each of us.
Sometimes, it means a change of circumstances, other times a change of heart, a change in our thoughts, or a change in the direction we are traveling.
There are many things we can’t control in our lives, but I believe focusing on the small steps we can take leads us to being able to live fuller and more joyful lives. I believe that there is always hope for life to become a bit brighter for each of us! And that tends to come through recognizing that the greatest change we can make is not changing everything around us, but inviting God to change us from within.”
—Claire Zugec