Joanne Marrs, MA, AMFT

About Joanne Marrs, MA, AMFT

Joanne was born and raised in Ventura County, California. She received her undergraduate degree from Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt). “It was the farthest north I could go and still be an in-state student,” she says. Joanne started visiting Port Angeles at 13 years old on summer vacations with her dad and always loved the PNW, so she felt drawn to come further north to Seattle. After working for several years she decided to go back to school and went to Antioch University Seattle to become a Marriage and Family therapist.

Joanne has worked with Developmentally Disabled adults, in teen outpatient support programs, as a school therapist, and as a clinician at an agency that specialized in working with foster/adoptive youth and their families.

In her work with foster youth, she learned a great deal about trauma and attachment. Both as individual areas of need and also how they often intersect. She enjoys working with children and their parents or caregivers together in sessions built around play and/or communication. Joanne has worked with people from a wide range of backgrounds, including queer (or 2SLGBTQIA, LGBTQ+) youth and adults. In line with her Antioch education, she believes strongly in building community and relationships.

Even though she visited Port Angeles often over the years, since living here she’s been trying to get out and see more of the incredible outdoors, sometimes revisiting favorite places or finding brand new favorites.