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Michelle Johnson

Licensed Mental Health Counselor
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Michelle Johnson, MA, LMHC

Licensed Mental Health Counselor
(253) 215-4536

I believe in healing, growth and positive change. God didn’t create us to stay stagnant, to be trapped in discouragement, or to live a life without peace and joy. Life is full of challenges and setbacks, but we aren't obligated to stop thriving while we move through it. Counseling can be a useful tool in the pursuit of the life God intended for us to live. Seeking out help is a sign of strength and bravery. I’d love to partner with you in this journey and offer my support and care. Let’s work together as you discover ways to move toward wholeness and peace.

Tacoma - Mon & Tue

About

My Goal as a Christian Counselor

As a counselor, my goal is to create a space where my clients can feel comfortable and safe to express themselves and be vulnerable. I work hard to make sure my clients feel heard and understood in their struggles, confusion, hurt, and frustrations. I enjoy sharing resources, articles, research, knowledge, and experience with my clients so that they leave each session with something more than what they started with. Hopefully, within this framework my clients will gain understanding of themselves, learn coping skills and strategies to tackle life’s challenges, and see positive changes in their lives.

What I Offer in Christian Counseling

I will spend our first session getting to know you, your history, and your presenting concerns. It’s important to me that I understand the “problem” from your perspective as well as how you want to benefit from counseling and what you hope to receive from me. I want you to know what to expect from our sessions and what I have to offer. If applicable, I will partner with you to create goals or a direction for future sessions so that we know what to focus on and how to track progress.

My Approach to Christian Counseling

A Christian approach to counseling allows for the freedom to apply biblical truths to everyday life questions that cannot be answered in any other capacity. The hope and peace that comes from applying God’s Word to our lives is irreplaceable and I value the freedom to be able to weave this priceless tool into counseling sessions.

Biography

Qualifications & Experience

I began working in the mental health field in 2006 and now serve as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). I received my Bachelor’s in Psychology and my Master’s in Counseling Psychology at Northwest University in Kirkland, WA. I later returned to complete two years of doctoral level studies to apply towards a doctoral degree, which is on hold until a future date.

My Call to Christian Counseling

While in college, I became passionate about psychology and helping others to improve their mental health and wellbeing. I found that therapy was direct way to reach people and to make a difference. To this day, I feel honored that I get to play even a small part in the improvement of another individual’s quality of life.

More About Me/On a Personal Note

I have a 5-year-old daughter, a Shih Tzu, and a Persian cat. I am a long-time Seattle sports fan and love to watch the Seahawks and Sounders. I am passionate about fitness and playing sports, and try to get out and enjoy the PNW as much as possible. I also serve with the youth at my church, co-leading small groups.

I believe my life experiences have greatly expanded my capacity as a therapist. My personal journey has given me a wealth of empathy for the challenges of the single parent life, the heartache that comes with divorce, and the complexities of creating and maintaining a blended family. I have also found that I have a heart for the issues of substance abuse as well as grief and loss due to my own experience of losing a parent to addiction during my teenage years.

Services and Specialities

Areas of Expertise/Specialties

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Marriage counseling
  • Bipolar disorder
  • ADHD
  • Relationship issues
  • Chemical dependency
  • Counseling for teens
  • Individual counseling
  • Codependency
  • Women’s issues

Counseling for Teens

The most common complaint that I hear from teens is that “nobody listens” and “nobody understands.” I pride myself on accomplishing both of those tasks well. A counselor is a great resource to give you feedback and share tools and strategies to solve problems. It can make a big difference in a teenager’s life to have someone to make them feel heard, understood, and to validate their feelings. I love working with teens on a variety of issues including substance use, navigating relationships, self-esteem and confidence, family stress, and much more.

Depression, Anxiety, and Bipolar Disorder

I am blessed to have experience working with chronic mental health conditions of many kinds, including bipolar disorder, major depression, and anxiety disorders. I am knowledgeable about medications and can assist you with tracking progress, creating a plan to improve quality of life, learn coping skills, or just simply understanding the diagnosis better.

ADHD

ADHD is a diagnosis that is often misunderstood. Whether with teens or adults, ADHD has an impact on relationships, school or work performance, and self-esteem among many other things. I’d love to help you to understand just how your unique brain type works and optimize your gifts and skills to be more organized, reliable, and more motivated in your everyday life.

Relationship Issues

Relationships are challenging in any capacity. If you are struggling with friendships, coworkers, family, or dating relationships, I would love to help you learn about and establish healthy boundaries, utilize effective communication techniques and weed out the old relationship behaviors that can follow you through life and push people away or cause unnecessary conflict.

Chemical Dependency

With my background in substance abuse counseling, I can discuss and address chemical dependency without judgement and from a place of compassion. It can be beneficial to identify and remove triggers, eliminate barriers to sobriety, and educate ourselves on addiction.

Payment and Forms

Sessions: I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.

Availability:

  • Tacoma – Mondays & Tuesdays

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for Individuals and Couples looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment the full fee per session is required at the time of service. For more information regarding standard session fees, please contact me directly at  (253) 215- 4536 or michellej@seattlechristiancounseling.com.

Insurance: As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), a majority of insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out of Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover adolescents, individuals, and couples.

Receipts/Statements: In the event you require a printed or digital receipt, I will provide receipts for personal use, insurance reimbursement, Flex Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Payment options: Cash, Check, or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express). A fee of up to 3.7% plus $0.15 per transaction will be added for credit card payments.

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