Meet Jamie Pattee

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jamie Pattee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jamie, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I believe a little imposter syndrome can be a good thing. It keeps me curious, humble, and motivated to continue learning and growing as a marriage and family therapist.

That said, I have worked through much of my imposter syndrome in several ways. I embraced that my time and expertise are valuable. While I may not be an “expert” on my clients’ lives, I have advanced degrees, specialized training, and the experience of earning my independent license as a marriage and family therapist. With my experience, education, and training, I’ve learned to slow down and trust the therapeutic process—and to trust myself.

Second, being transparent and vulnerable with my colleagues has been a game changer. Their encouragement, validation, and support remind me that I’m not alone, which boosts my confidence tremendously.

Finally, I’ve found that when I show up authentically and stay true to myself as a therapist, my confidence grows. When I’m relaxed and open, my clients respond in incredible ways, which reinforces my belief in the work I do.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I started my career as an elementary school teacher and spent eight wonderful years in education. While I loved working with children and enjoyed the fast pace of the classroom, I realized education wasn’t my true passion. I have always been deeply interested in people’s experiences—their stories, family dynamics, and relationships. This passion led me to explore the field of marriage and family therapy, where I could focus on helping individuals, couples, and families navigate their relationships and personal growth.

When my daughter was just three months old, I decided to follow my passion for supporting families and returned to school to pursue a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Eighteen months later, I graduated with a clinical degree and began working at a community mental health agency. There, I provided therapy to children ages 5 to 18, many of whom were in the custody of the Department of Child Services (DCS) or living in foster homes, with relatives, in group homes, or transitioning back to their biological families. That experience deepened my understanding of resilience, trauma, and healing within family systems.

While I valued that work, my true passion has always been working with adults and couples. I transitioned to a group private practice, where I had the incredible opportunity to specialize in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), a model of couples therapy created by Dr. Sue Johnson. EFT focuses on strengthening emotional bonds and fostering deeper connections in relationships. I also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro to help individuals process trauma and relieve psychological distress, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In 2019, after earning my independent license, I founded Authentic Connections Therapy Center, a name that reflects my core values of authenticity and meaningful, secure relationships. In my work with couples, I help partners rebuild trust, repair attachment injuries, improve communication, and strengthen their emotional bonds. In individual therapy, I support clients in repairing relationships—whether with others or themselves. I am trained in Brainspotting therapy, a powerful brain-body approach developed by Dr. David Grand that helps individuals access and process trauma stored in the nervous system. I often integrate Brainspotting and EMDR to help clients heal from past experiences and move toward greater resilience and empowerment.

I absolutely love being a marriage and family therapist. It’s an honor to walk alongside my clients on their healing journeys, witnessing their growth, resilience, and transformation. There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping individuals and couples build deeper connections and find hope in their relationships.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, three qualities and skills stand out as the most impactful in my journey:

Resilience – I was in an intensive graduate program while caring for a newborn! Reflecting on that time, I’m not entirely sure how I managed it all, but it taught me the importance of resilience. That same resilience continues to serve me today as I balance being a business owner and a mom to two busy kids.

Trusting my intuition – When I learned to slow down and trust my intuition, I found myself more present in sessions with clients. This allowed me to deliver my best clinical work. My clients feel truly seen, heard, and validated when I work from that place of authenticity and attunement.

Staying curious – Curiosity has been a cornerstone of my work, both with my clients and in exploring therapeutic models. Remaining open and inquisitive has deepened my understanding and expanded my ability to support clients in meaningful ways.

My advice for those just starting their journey is to be confident in how far you’ve already come and trust in what you know. Lean into your intuition—it will guide you to connect with clients in authentic and powerful ways. And never stop being curious. Stay open to learning, growing, and expanding your knowledge; it will serve you well throughout your career.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I absolutely love collaborating and networking within the community—it’s the foundation on which I built and continue to grow my practice! While social media is a helpful tool for reaching a broad audience, I deeply value the trust that comes with a personal referral. When a colleague, business owner, teacher, clergy member, friend, or client refers someone to me, it tells me they believe in the work I do, and that means so much.

I’m especially interested in collaborating with mental health professionals, healthcare workers, clergy, schools, and business owners to create meaningful connections and provide support to the community. If you’re interested in partnering or connecting, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact me through my practice’s website https://authenticconnectionstherapycenter.com/ or email me directly at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://authenticconnectionstherapycenter.com/
• Instagram: authentictherapyaz
• Facebook: Authentic Therapy AZ

Image Credits

Whitney B. Photography