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About Joanna McNeil, LMFT
With a focus on empathy and your early childhood relationships, I will help you understand how you got to where you are today. We will figure out the origin of your relational dynamics and coping strategies, identify which you'd like to carry forward and which are not serving you, and work together to create the life you want.
Based in Pasadena, California, my practice is a safe space for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, races, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds.
Compassionate Care Tailored to Your Needs
Individual Therapy
Parent Coaching
Child Therapy
Couples Therapy
My Specialties
Our time together is tailored to your unique needs. I commonly work with people who need support navigating life transitions—beginning or ending a relationship, becoming a parent, going off to college, or starting in a new city. Beyond helping people manage stress, mitigate unwanted symptoms, and improve relationship quality, I have particular interest in the following specialties:
Birth Trauma & NICU Stays
I support parents during and after NICU stays and birth trauma. Whether your baby is currently in the NICU, you’re transitioning home, or you’re processing a difficult birth experience months or years later, I provide a compassionate space to help you cope with the fear, guilt, grief, hypervigilance, and complex emotions that can arise during this extremely vulnerable time—even when your baby or child is doing well. The stress of a NICU stay can also strain marriages and family relationships in profound ways, and I can help you navigate these challenges, communicate through pain, and find connection again. You don’t have to navigate these feelings alone.
Narcissistic & Emotional Abuse
I work with individuals navigating relationships with people who have narcissistic traits and/or emotionally abusive behaviors. Whether you’re currently in a challenging relationship with a partner, parent, family member, or colleague, considering leaving, or healing from a past relationship, I provide a validating space to help you understand the complex dynamics at play, process experiences like gaslighting and manipulation, and cope with the confusion, self-doubt, and emotional toll these relationships create. I can help you develop or reclaim your sense of self, establish healthy boundaries, rebuild your confidence, and move forward with clarity—whether you choose to stay or leave. I will help you find your footing again.
Parenting Challenges
I specialize in parent coaching for families navigating challenging behaviors and developmental transitions. Whether your child is using aggression as a coping mechanism at school, having difficulty adjusting to a new baby, or struggling with sibling conflicts or anxiety, I can help you understand why this is happening and come up with a comprehensive plan for relief. I work with parents who feel disconnected from a particular child, who are managing different parenting styles with a co-parent, or who notice themselves reacting in ways that echo how they were raised—even when those patterns aren’t serving their current family. Using evidence-based, developmentally informed approaches, I’ll help you make sense of your child’s behavior, figure out how and why you're contributing to an unwanted cycle, align with your co-parent, and let go of the parenting scripts from your own childhood that no longer fit.
Perimenopause
The perimenopausal transition is far more than a physiological shift. It’s often a profound psychological and relational awakening. As hormones fluctuate and eventually decline, many women experience what can feel a sense of clarity that cuts through years of accommodation and people-pleasing. Perimenopause signifies a fundamental recalibration of what feels authentic and sustainable in your life. The same hormonal changes that trigger (the seemingly endless—and often very mysterious!) physiological symptoms can also bring a decreased tolerance for relationships, situations, or patterns that no longer serve you. This can feel like selfishness, but it’s wisdom. Together, we can explore this transition as an opportunity to align your life more closely with your values, set boundaries that protect your energy, and navigate the relational shifts that often accompany this powerful life stage. Whether you’re renegotiating dynamics in your marriage, reassessing your career, or simply learning to prioritize your own needs without guilt, this awakening deserves support and celebration.
Set up time for complimentary 10-minute call.
My fee is $250 for a 50-minute session. I am an out-of-network provider and do not have contracts with insurance companies. However, I’m happy to provide you with a monthly Super Bill that you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement.
Parking is complimentary for one hour and easily accessible in a structure next to the office building.