Joanna (she/her) is a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Washington who received her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Seattle Pacific University in 2022. Prior to completing this degree, she worked in early childhood education as a teacher, child development specialist, and parent/family liaison. As a practicum student and intern, Joanna worked in community mental health, providing child, adolescent, adult, and family services to high-risk, diverse ethnic and socioeconomic populations in collaboration with Bellevue School District, the Washington Department of Children and Family Services, and other community service providers. After completing her degree, she continued in community mental health for two years, expanding into diagnostic assessment and adult group psychotherapy. 

“I practice from a systemic lens, meaning that I seek to hold and consider all layers of who you are and what impacts you with openness, respect, and curiosity. I prioritize a non-judgemental stance and believe that you are the only true expert on your life and inner world. I enjoy working with a wide range of ages and issues, but I am particularly drawn to work surrounding attachment wounding, trauma, body image, neurodiversity, and self-concept. 
In our work, we will form an alliance to serve your specific goals. Together we will walk your desired path to explore, understand, learn, nourish, heal, and grow. Along the way, we’ll use tools from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (DBT and CBT), and various Play Therapy modalities, including Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), and Sandtray, according to what best fits your needs and treatment goals. 

Additionally, if you are seeking treatment connected to body image, size oppression, weight stigma, eating disorder recovery, or desire to feel more at home in your body, know that I work from a weight-inclusive and anti-oppression stance. I will hold an understanding of systemic oppression, diet culture, and the principles of Health at Every Size, while attending to the realities of the life experiences and symptoms you bring to session.”