Joanna is a Registered Psychotherapist with a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology at University of Toronto. She is passionate about offering a space to unpack and empower the individual through life’s challenges in an accessible and culturally-sensitive manner. Her therapeutic approach is eclectic, using a combination of modalities and techniques that best cater to your goals and needs. She is trained in the following modalities: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Attachment-informed approach. During their off time, you will find Joanna jamming to music, listening to podcasts, singing, and playing video games. WHY I BECAME A PSYCHOTHERAPIST? Raised by an immigrant family, access to mental health was difficult, as it has its linguistic and cultural barriers. Sometimes it’s the first step: Recognizing the problem. For example, when your thoughts get stuck on something, or feel pain but it’s not physical pain you learned by talking to family members when growing up, then what is it? When your community stigmatizes the concept and existence of mental health and emotions, it’s hard to believe your problems and pain exist, let alone find support and resources. I thought that if my loved ones and I have difficulties naming and finding supports for mental health issues, others with similar circumstances would too. I believe others would wish to have professional support from a culturally sensitive practitioner in navigating these experiences. Therefore, I strived to work in mental health, as a psychotherapist, and become an anchor for those that don’t have a non-judgmental safe space to process their life experiences; to understand that your emotional and psychological experience is just as real as your physical ones.