01 · Who Joanne works with

Joanne works with relationship issues, family conflicts and parenting issues

Joanne lists 7 specialisms and 21 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Joanne chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Joanne's own words

What Joanne says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

As a licensed therapist Marriage and Family Therapist in Virginia, Massachusetts and North Carolina with over two decades of professional experience, I specialize in supporting individuals to be successful in relationships and careers. My practice focuses on helping clients address relationship dynamics, family conflicts, and personal growth through compassionate, evidence-based approaches.

I bring extensive expertise in supporting older adults, multicultural families, and individuals experiencing significant life changes. My therapeutic work centers on addressing communication challenges, healing from past traumas, managing workplace stress, and supporting families through transitions like divorce, blended family dynamics, and intergenerational relationships.

My approach is tailored to each client's unique experiences. I understand the nuanced emotional landscapes of midlife challenges, military veterans' experiences, and the complex feelings surrounding adoption, immigration, and cultural identity. By creating a supportive and understanding environment, I help clients develop resilience, improve communication, and find meaningful paths forward.

Joanne Waithaka, on the BetterHelp listing · read 7 Oct 2026

03 · How Joanne works

The 3 approaches Joanne lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Joanne lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Joanne's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Joanne runs a session.

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyACT

Rather than trying to argue a painful thought away, ACT works on loosening its grip and getting on with what matters to you anyway. Sessions spend real time naming your values, then building action around them while difficult feelings are still present.

Narrative Therapy

Treats the story you tell about your life as something that can be examined and retold rather than as the plain facts. Separates the person from the problem - “the anxiety” rather than “your anxiety” - to make room for the parts the current story leaves out.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

Also listed

• Systemic Therapy

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Joanne practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Joanne's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Joanne at this point.

2. Naming Joanne specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Joanne is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Joanne.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Joanne

Built from what Joanne actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Joanne's - Joanne has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Narrative Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 28 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LMFT

Licensed in

Virginia

Licence

MA LMFT LMFT1153, NC LMFT 2409

Licence number

0717001471

Licence expires

30 Jun 2027

NPI

1407949431

Years in practice

28

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

12 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Joanne's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 7 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Joanne. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.