My name is Joanne Mackie. I'm a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Levels I and II, and Certified Grief Professional. I'm located and licensed in New York, live in New York City, and am licensed to work online with anyone in New York, New Jersey and Florida seeking a nuanced, frank, and compassionate therapy experience. (Therapeutic relationship)
In our work together, we'll start by building trust. Early sessions are focused on creating a safe space for you to explore your emotions at your own pace. As we move forward, I'll help you understand how trauma shows up in your body and mind, so you can start making sense of your experiences and release the weight you’ve been carrying.
In my therapy sessions, we take things at your pace. You don’t need to rush or feel pressured to share everything at once. I create a space where it’s okay to take your time with the secrets you’ve carried for so long. Through humor, understanding, and education, I help you make sense of your trauma and the way it’s impacted your relationships and daily life. Using somatic techniques, we’ll work together to gently bring you out of flashbacks, dissociation, and anxiety, so you can start feeling more present and connected. You deserve to feel whole again.
My sessions may look and feel different than your past therapy encounters. I don't follow a script or have a certain number of sessions by which I expect you to "be better!" I know that discussing real emotions and real vulnerability doesn't happen quickly. I understand that I can't expect you to "just trust me" as that hasn't been a safe experience for a lot of my clients and may not feel safe for you. I get it. You don't know me. Trust is earned and I'll do my best to deserve your trust. If you're not ready to talk about some experiences for a while, I'm in no rush. There is a goal, but this isn't a competition. It's not a race. It's a journey. I don't need detailed stories to help you work with the feelings you are having. You've been holding your pain and secrets for a long time and I will not expect you to be ready to reexperience those just because I have some letters after my name. This therapy belongs to you. When you're ready to share, I'll be beside you.
I will believe you. Your pain or experiences may have been minimized or dismissed in the past. People in your life may not have believed you when you spoke of your trauma. I believe you. I held many secrets for many years due to shame or fear that I would be called a liar. I already believe you.
I believe in transparency on both sides of our relationship. How can I help you if I omit myself? I will share with you what feels helpful for us both so that you can begin to feel understood and seen. I know just how difficult it is to be honest if you don't feel like you can be your authentic self. My history is the reason I specialize in trauma. I'm not ashamed that bad things happened to me, so maybe you will find that you don't have to carry guilt or shame either.
If you could bring your wishes to the table and have a safe space held for you without judgment, how might that help you heal?
I am currently only offering telehealth sessions. I use SimplePractice for telehealth sessions, which is a HIPAA compliant platform for your privacy. A link is sent to connect you to the platform for your ease and convenience.
Confidentiality is ethically and personally assured in my encounters with my clients.