Joanne Waithaka, LMFT
Relationship-focused marriage and family therapist
Details
| Name | Joanne Waithaka |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LMFT |
| Based in | Virginia |
| Licensed in | Virginia, Massachusetts, North Carolina |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 28 |
About Joanne
Joanne Waithaka is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 28 years of clinical experience. She helps people who are dealing with relationship strain, family conflict, parenting stress, depression, trauma, and major life changes. Her style is practical and straightforward, aimed at steady improvements rather than quick fixes.
She uses Narrative Therapy to help people rewrite the stories they tell about themselves and their relationships. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is another tool she draws on to help clients make values-based choices even when emotions feel heavy.
Background and approach
Solution-Focused and Systemic approaches allow her to zero in on what’s working and address patterns that affect entire household dynamics. Joanne has practiced with older adults and people facing midlife transitions. She also has experience with adoption and foster care issues, immigration-related stress, and concerns linked to military service.
That background informs how she listens and the kinds of strategies she offers. Sessions emphasize clear communication, small practical steps, and rebuilding everyday routines that support well-being. She helps people practice new ways of talking about problems and tests small changes between sessions.
The work is collaborative and paced to each person’s needs. Joanne holds a Master of Arts and is recognized as an LMFT in North Carolina and Virginia. She offers sessions in English and provides online options for people who need flexible ways to connect.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Parenting issues among the things Joanne works with, alongside the areas below.
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Trauma and abuse
- Depression
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Divorce and separation
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Guilt and shame
- Immigration issues
- Infidelity
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Workplace issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Joanne among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Joanne among the ways she works.
- Systemic Therapy: Listed by Joanne among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Joanne directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Joanne directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How narrative and values-based approaches work online
Joanne often draws on Narrative Therapy to help people separate themselves from the problems they face. That approach focuses on the stories you tell about relationships and identity, and on finding alternative ways to describe strengths and hopes. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings and still take steps toward what matters most. Using ACT, clients learn small, values-driven actions to build steady progress between sessions.Choosing a therapeutic approach is part of the work itself. Joanne treats the decision as collaborative and will help clients try methods that fit their goals and preferences. Together they check what feels useful and adjust the plan where needed rather than committing to one style from the start.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video calls are good for deeper conversations and visual cues, phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited, live chat can be used for quick check-ins, and messaging supports shorter or more frequent touchpoints. These options make it easier to fit sessions around work, childcare, or other daily demands.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does Joanne commonly address?
She supports people with relationship strain, family conflict, parenting stress, depression, trauma and coping with life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is practical and collaborative, focusing on clear communication, small steps, and testing changes between sessions.
What kind of experience does she bring?
She has 28 years of clinical experience working with people facing midlife issues, adoption and foster care concerns, immigration stress, and military-related matters.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an MA and is an LMFT licensed in North Carolina and Virginia.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How does cost and scheduling work?
Cost varies by location and availability and uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time; start by using the Start Therapy button and completing the short matching questionnaire to schedule.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Joanne are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Joanne where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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