About
Joanne earned her Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration at the University of Miami, and went on to pursue and earn her Dual Specialist and Masters degrees in Counselor Education focusing on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling at the University of Florida. During the course of her graduate program, she also completed a rigorous 60-hour training program at the local crisis center and volunteered as a Crisis Phone Counselor.
During her post-graduate internship years, she earned her certification as a Board Certified National Counselor (NCC). After over two years and thousands of hours of supervised training, she earned her license in FL as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Because of her internship experiences, she also became passionate about supervision and education and moved on to become a FL Qualified Supervisor for MHC & MFT Registered Interns. She additionally earned her licensure in professional counseling in other states including CA, WA, MT, MI, TN, IN, and MO.
Through further continuing education and specialized training, she earned her certification as an EMDR Certified Therapist through EMDRIA and Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International (PSI). She is also trained as a Brainspotting practitioner and earned her certification as a Level 2 Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP-II) through the International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP). She is also a Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator, and has completed both Levels 1 and 2 trainings of the Gottman Method Couples Therapy approach which she utilizes in her work with couples and relationships.
Joanne’s clinical experiences have included working with individuals and couples as well as their families across all levels of care. She has worked with people struggling with and recovering from substance use disorders and the consequent impacts and co-occurring issues they come with including, but not limited to, self-esteem and self-identity issues, impacts on career and relationships, family conflicts, trust building, emotional honesty & accountability, anxiety & depression, and intimacy & sex-related issues. She’s also worked with individuals and couples navigate through overall mental health & well-being and navigating through personality dynamics.
Joanne specializes in working with adult individuals (18+) including first- and second-generation immigrants, professionals, and couples navigating through various cultural-related issues, generational stressors, relationship & family conflicts, trauma experiences, intimacy & sex-related issues, and addiction & substance use recovery. Joanne is passionate about supporting people cultivate purposeful and integrative healing, and leading transformational lives through psychoeducation and collaboration.
“Let’s talk about the elephant…”
J O Counseling’s vision and purpose with starting the #LetsTalkAboutTheElephant is to address the stigma surrounding mental health and well-being; and identify how the belief and idea of “be seen, not heard” truly impacts our sense of self-identity, the shame and guilt it may come with, and how to navigate through differences within our cultural values and beliefs. Joanne strives to work through the lens of cultural humility and collaboratively work with you through creating a secure and grounded counter-space.
Joanne’s goal is for you to feel heard and understood, to feel a sense of security and belongingness, and to challenge you to be able to learn to practice your own understanding and definition of living rather than surviving. She encourages you to explore the how in healing and leading a satisfying life with honesty & transparency, accountability & humility, open-mindedness, and willingness for vulnerability & emotional growth.
Joanne was born and raised within the Chinese-Filipino community in the Philippines and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. It was a difficult transition (read: culture shock). She was in unfamiliar territory and had to learn to adapt and change the way she imagined life to be. She learned to adjust yet still felt disconnected and “homeless,” as if she didn’t belong or fit in anywhere. Pursuing her career in the mental health field allowed Joanne to learn more about herself and gain perspective into what she experienced. She learned to recognize relational and cultural stressors and began to work through her own self-exploration and healing journey, sitting on an old blue chair across from her own therapist…
When you’re ready to take the next step, contact our office through the link below to schedule your initial appointment.