JoAnn DePetro , LMFT

JoAnn DePetro is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 40 years of professional experience working in California. As an LMFT - a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist trained to work with individuals, couples, and families on relationship and mental health concerns - she brings extensive experience helping people navigate stress, anxiety, family conflicts, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, and depressive symptoms.

She approaches each person with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, shaping conversations and treatment plans to reflect the unique circumstances and goals of the individual or family. Her additional areas of focus include issues such as abandonment, body image, communication problems, control issues, guilt and shame, impulsivity, isolation and loneliness, mood disorders, narcissism, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, social anxiety, and women's issues.

JoAnn emphasizes a collaborative process that honors the courage it takes to seek change. She supports clients through practical, personalized work aimed at increasing understanding, improving relationships, and reducing distress. Her style is warm and attentive, with an emphasis on tailoring therapy to fit each client’s needs and life situation.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

JoAnn uses approaches that emphasize emotional connection, safety, and trauma resolution. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early and current relational patterns shape feelings and behavior; it helps people and couples explore attachment needs, repair ruptures, and build more secure connections.

Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) centers on identifying and reshaping emotional responses within relationships, making it useful for partners and individuals who want to improve communication, deepen intimacy, and address recurring conflict.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured method used to process distressing memories and trauma symptoms; it involves guided bilateral stimulation alongside targeted memory work to reduce the intensity of traumatic reactions.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and JoAnn works collaboratively with clients to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Together they consider which techniques are most likely to support the client’s progress and adjust the plan as work unfolds.

Online therapy options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - offer flexibility for scheduling and continuity of care. These formats make it easier to attend sessions from different locations, accommodate work and family commitments, and maintain ongoing therapeutic momentum when in-person visits are not possible.