EMILY JOHNSON, LSW, CDCA

Emily Johnson (pronouns: she/her) is an experienced licensed social worker who works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Her specialty interests include: girls’ and women’s issues, children, families, developmental and physical disabilities. Emily integrates creativity and focuses on the unique strengths and experiences that clients bring into counseling sessions. She utilizes a trauma-informed, cognitive behavioral, strengths-based lens and is not afraid to utilize play and humor when helpful. Emily also integrates treatment approaches that are evidence-based and uniquely tailored to each client to help build the therapeutic relationship where clients can feel heard, seen, and understood. This, in turn, fosters resilience, empowerment, and a safe space for healing.

Emily earned her master’s degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University and her bachelor’s degree in education from Kent State University, where she majored in human services and human development and family studies. Her academic background reflects a solid foundation in both mental health and human development across the lifespan. She continues to pursue professional development through specialized training and certifications that enhance her clinical and leadership skills.

Prior to Wellness Grove, Emily worked with diverse clients in community mental health, nonprofit, school based, and juvenile justice systems.

Over the last seven years, she has had many unique opportunities in which to help others. These opportunities include volunteering with her local Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, working with a nonprofit for children and families in Sierra Leone West Africa, presenting psychoeducational information with families at risk of homelessness, supporting individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities within the community, and working with families and children in a school-based setting. These opportunities have all contributed to her passion for helping others and to her clinical approach to behavioral healthcare.

Emily’s approach to counseling is relational, trauma-informed, and strength-based. She believes that every part of the client’s story tells us where they have been and what they will bring into session. Emily believes in seeing the whole picture of the client because personal growth is the result of empowering connections that are rooted in safety, authenticity, vulnerability, and mutual respect. In addition to being a non-judgmental, compassionate listener she is a collaborative strength-builder and problem-solver. Emily believes in making the therapeutic process interactive, creative, and accessible by integrating humor, creativity, and interactive learning to foster engagement and healing. She believes in tailoring treatment to each client’s unique strengths, needs, and cultural context—because no two clients are alike.

Her strengths include: a good listener, team player, kindness, love of learning, critical and deep thinker, determination and resilience, humor, empathy, and making clients feel safe and heard.