Katie Johnson, MSW, LICSW

Pronouns

She/Her

Education

• B.A. in Theater - Barnard College - 15'

• Master of Social Work - Fordham University - 19'

• Master of Library and Information Science

University of Wisconsin: Milwaukee - 23'

Services Offered

• Individual Psychotherapy

Ages I Work With

• 3 years old - Young Adults.

My Approach to Care

• EMDR

• Child-Centered Play Therapy

• TF-CBT Internal Family Systems

• Sand-tray Therapy

• Additional training and experience in: Expressive Arts Therapy, DBT, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Adlerian Play Therapy

Areas of Specialization

I enjoy tailoring my therapeutic approach to the unique individual needs of every client and family I see and am especially passionate about working with clients who have experienced trauma, those who have experienced disrupted attachment, clients experiencing grief or major transitions, neurodivergent clients, and clients whose experiences have been impacted by systemic bias or discrimination, whether due to race, ethnicity, immigration status, sexuality, gender, religion, or any number of other facets of a client's identity. I also enjoy and have experience working with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, difficulty with emotional regulation, and a variety of other symptoms and presentations.

I have specialized training and experience working with clients who have experienced complex trauma, including abuse, neglect, school or family violence, and involvement with systems such as CPS.

My Decolonized/Anti-Oppressive Lens

I believe that the development of a truly affirming and trusting therapeutic relationship between therapist and client is the foundation for all therapeutic work. I strive to meet every client where they are, by learning from them about the lens through which they see and experience the world, how the various aspects of their identity have informed that lens, and how their experiences of the world have impacted their sense of self.

As someone who works with children and youth, I believe strongly in the inherent goodness and endless potential of all of my clients and am passionate about helping them to recognize and affirm those things in themselves. I recognize that many of my clients experience the world in ways very different from my own experiences, and one of my primary goals as a therapist is to make therapy a space in which my clients feel safe, supported, and affirmed sharing all of their experiences, emotions, and perspectives, including and especially those that may have been previously disbelieved or invalidated.

I work to maintain a decolonized and anti-oppressive lens by seeking out continued education and literature, engaging in community service and activism, continually working to notice and deconstruct my own implicit bias, and ensuring that I provide a diverse, culturally affirming, and gender-neutral collection of toys for play therapy.

What I Hope Clients Feel After Working With Me

My greatest hope as a therapist is that all of my clients feel safe, accepted, respected, and truly seen throughout their time in therapy and that they leave therapy with a stronger sense of love and appreciation for their own inherent worth and potential. I hope that coming into my office can feel like temporary haven from some of the pressure and stressors that clients experience in their day-to-day lives and that the work we do in therapy can be of benefit to my clients and help to lessen the effect that those stressors have on their emotions and sense of self-worth.

Why I Chose This Work

My decision to work as a therapist with children and youth grew out of my experiences working as a nanny, tutor, PCA, and volunteer during and after college, during which I realized not only how much I enjoy working with these age groups, but how much benefit additional support can have for kids and teens as they are growing up and learning about themselves.

What I Enjoy Outside of Work

I spend a lot of my time outside of work caring for my 5 rescue pets, who are always a source of joy and comfort for me. Some of my other favorite things include: reading, hiking with my dogs, seeing as much theater as I can, watching the Lynx and other women's basketball, crocheting and cross-stitching, and spending time with my family, especially my niece and nephew.

My Favorite Quote

Be gentle with yourself; nothing in nature blooms all year. -Anonymous