- Family of origin issues
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
About Joanne
Joanne Waithaka is an LMFT - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in Virginia with 28 years of experience. She focuses on relationship and family concerns, parenting questions, and coping with major life changes. She also works with people facing depression, trauma and abuse, and coaching around career and life transitions.
She helps people untangle patterns that began in the family they grew up in. That includes family of origin issues, attachment challenges, and the ways past losses or abandonment can affect current relationships. Conversations are straightforward and practical, aimed at clearer communication and steadier day-to-day routines.
Joanne uses approaches that fit the problem at hand. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Narrative Therapy to shift unhelpful stories people tell about themselves. Solution-Focused and Systemic ideas help when the goal is concrete change in communication or family roles.
Her work often centers on midlife changes, blended family dynamics, adoption and foster care concerns, and issues that follow relocation or immigration. She also supports people connected to the military community and those facing aging or caregiving questions.
Sessions look at what currently gets in the way and what small steps might make life more manageable. Joanne combines practical exercises with conversations about values and relationships. The emphasis is on clear tools for handling conflict, rebuilding trust after separation or infidelity, and managing guilt or shame related to family history.
How her approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and values, then taking small steps toward what matters. It can help when family patterns leave someone stuck or unsure about priorities. Narrative Therapy involves looking at the stories people tell about their family role and rewriting those stories to allow different choices and behaviors.Joanne treats finding the right method as a collaborative process. She will work with the client to identify which approaches fit their goals and preferences, and adjust techniques as the work progresses. The plan evolves based on what feels most useful for improving communication and daily functioning.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also supports consistent contact during life transitions, so practical tools and communication exercises can be practiced between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
28+ years
Listed in
Virginia, Massachusetts, North Carolina
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with relationship and family problems, parenting challenges, coping with life changes, depression, and issues related to trauma and abuse.
What is her general approach in sessions?
Sessions are practical and conversation-based, using methods like ACT, Narrative, Solution-Focused, and Systemic ideas to change patterns and try new ways of relating.
How much experience does she have?
Joanne has 28 years of clinical experience as a therapist working with individuals facing relationship, family, and life transition issues.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is an LMFT - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and practices in Virginia.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
International clients are not accepted; sessions are provided within the stated regional practice.
How does cost and payment work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.