Hope+Wellness

Dr. Joi R. Burnham

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Hi there, I’m Dr. Burnham :)

joi Burnham

Dr. Joi R. Burnham

Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Licensed in: Virginia, Georgia, and PSYPACT
Locations: Teletherapy

(she/her/hers)

I am a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in working with young adults and adults going through periods of anxiety, life adjustment, and transition. Many of the clients I work with struggle with identity, relationship and family stressors, and self-acceptance, feeling stuck and unsure of how to find themselves. I help them navigate and cope with the anxiety and depression that life stress and adjustment naturally bring.

I enjoy working with clients from any and all backgrounds and am particularly passionate about inclusivity and using therapy as a way to address issues related to identity, racial trauma, and other stressors that affect marginalized populations, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

I am also passionate about providing comprehensive psychological evaluations across the life span to enable clients to develop an in-depth understanding of their personal areas of strengths and growth. I believe strongly in the power of high quality, evidence-based evaluations to promote healthy insight and positive outcomes for children, teens, and adults.

I earned my doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Spalding University, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). I am a proud graduate of North Carolina Central University, a historically black college and university where I earned bachelors and masters degrees in psychology. As I have special interests in working with young adults, I completed a predoctoral internship at George Washington University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), where I gained extensive expertise in working to support students with a wide variety of emotional, interpersonal, psychological, and career concerns.

Philosophy

My therapeutic approach to psychotherapy is strengths-based, integrating interpersonal therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy within a multicultural framework, with an emphasis on the unique strengths, resilience and resources that each individual brings.

As a clinician, I consider the most essential part of treatment to be the therapeutic relationship. I view this relationship as equal or egalitarian in nature and often tell clients that, “I may be the ‘expert’ on psychology, but you are the expert on YOU!”. I am passionate about cultivating a safe, open, and supportive environment for you to feel truly seen and heard, so you can truly feel comfortable and empowered to explore and develop your unique values and strengths to build a vibrant life that is fulfilling to you.

As humans there are numerous facets that come together to make us up to be the complex beings that we are. I am thus passionate about tailoring both therapy and assessment services to honor your unique, individual needs. Throughout all of my work with clients, I incorporate a multicultural framework, and am sensitive to who you are and all the unique domains that have come together to shape your identity, including cultural, educational, family, spiritual, life stress, or other domains. I strive to take great care to be especially considerate of this, as our cultural backgrounds greatly impact how we view the world, what we value in it, and how we interact with others.

Specialty Areas

anxiety and depression
related to interpersonal and relational stressors

As humans, we crave connection but these connections are sometimes difficult to manage, particularly if we have a personal history of complicated social or familial relationships. Maladaptive relationship patterns or tendencies can also develop, which can be addressed through corrective experiences within the safety of the therapeutic relationship. Identifying personal values can be an integral part of learning to set boundaries as well as strengthening communication skills, which are essential to developing and maintaining strong connections with others.

testing and evaluations

I provide evidence-based assessments and evaluations. These provide insight into our experience that we may not have been fully aware prior to completion. While this information may be enlightening and can lead to the discovery of helpful resources or strengths, I also pay particular attention to any cultural or identity factors that should be taken into consideration when completing evaluations.

black, indigenous, and people of color (bipoc) mental wellness and empowerment 

I am passionate about working with all clients from various diverse backgrounds and believe in inclusion, acceptance and equity. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have a unique set of challenges navigating spaces and issues related to systemic inequality. Not only is it important to validate these experiences and their adverse impact, but I also strive to empower and provide therapeutic interventions to address race related stressors.

Adjustment, stress, and life transitions

Change is inevitable. Sometimes these transitions can be an easy adjustment, while other times it can be difficult.

Whether you are learning to establish your independence in college, undergoing recent career changes such as a new job, going through a breakup, separation, or divorce, or becoming a new parent, I work to support you in finding your path to move forward and to do so in a way that builds confidence in their decisions and is in accordance with your personal values.

young adulthood, self-acceptance, lGBTQ+, discovering your identity

I work with many young adults who are seeking to better understand their identities and values in life, and who are struggling with self-acceptance and questions related to identity. This transition can be particularly difficult if you feel there are limited places where you feel safe to explore or to share certain aspects of your identity and the struggles that you experience because of it/them. Therefore, it is my hope to create a safe, secure, non-judgmental space to process concerns that arise, uncover how these experiences can impact your overall health, and increase your sense of autonomy.

Couples therapy

In working with couples, I am committed to helping partners identify relational challenges, increase their awareness, and understand one another on a deeper level. My goal is to assist couples in navigating conflicts and address a range of issues and stressors such as communication, role expectations, financial matters, disparities in life stages, challenges with in-laws, infidelity, or even the amicable resolution of their relationship.  In our sessions, I work to create a safe and respectful space for both partners, ensuring that each perspective is heard and valued. By remaining non-judgmental and fostering an atmosphere of trust, I strive to facilitate a collaborative journey toward a healthier and more fulfilling relationship for many different types of couples. 

Clinical Supervision

In addition to my clinical work, I supervise psychologists who are working toward clinical licensure in VA.

My approach to supervision is from an integrative developmental model (IDM); I also rely on some components of interpersonal therapy to develop a strong and secure supervisory relationship. I am a strong proponent of culturally competent care which is interwoven throughout my supervision practice to support supervisees in further strengthening and creating thoughtful, well rounded case conceptualizations. 

As a supervisor, I seek to provide a space for supervisees that is safe, warm, collaborative, and flexible — where you will feel comfortable in developing your professional identity by engaging in exploration to increase self-awareness and create confidence in navigating real world dilemmas.  While I seek to support your unique strengths and abilities, I also feel that constructive feedback is essential in facilitating growth when building one's professional identity.  

Clinically, I conceptualize from an integrative interpersonal-relational and values-based framework and incorporate a variety of interventions aimed at empowering clients so that they feel confident in navigating their concerns, develop new coping strategies, and increase their insight and awareness. 

Additional Areas of Expertise

Academic Stress and Pressure
Adjusting to Life Transitions
Anxiety
Attachment Concerns
BIPOC/POC Related Concerns
Boundary Setting
Clinical Supervision
Developing Autonomy and Confidence
Discovering Your Identity
Divorce/Separation Stressors
Family of Origin Concerns
General Stress of Being Human
Identity
Identifying Values
LGBTQ+ Concerns
Life Stress
Life Transitions
Mid Life Crisis
Multicultural
Neuropsychological Evaluation
Personal Growth
Personality Assessment
Psychoeducational Evaluation
Relationship and Communication Difficulties
Self-Care
Self-Criticism
Self-Esteem
Stress Management
Quarter Life Crisis
Work Stress
Young Adults

favorite QUOTES

“Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it’s faced.”
— James Baldwin
“Categorize me, I defy every label.”
— Janelle Monae
“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ”I will try again tomorrow”.”
— Mary Anne Redmacher
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