Joanie Santos

My communication style

I do a lot of listening and then help you identify and express your emotions, together with learning new skills to manage them and communicate more effectively. Building secure yet flexible boundaries also helps many people. Hopefully, we can find things to laugh about along the way.

My journey to mental healthcare

I got interested in becoming a therapist while working with youth and homeless teens. I was fascinated by how mental health impacts readiness for change. I wanted to know more about trauma, attachment, depression, and motivation. My greatest pleasure is seeing clients get better and do great things they didn't think were possible.

My goals for you

Goal setting is important. You are in the driver's seat, and we go where you want to go. It's great to have goals so later on you can look in the rearview mirror and see how far you've come. It also helps us figure out together if what we're doing is working for you or not.

Our first session

In the first session, I will ask you a lot of questions to understand what's bothering you and what your day-to-day life is like so we can get started quickly. I will ask what is bringing you into therapy, how we will know when to end therapy, and what will be different for you. I will also answer any questions you have.

I identify as...

• Female
• Caucasian or White