Background & Therapeutic Approach
My Background
Hello and so glad that you are here. I am Heather Johnston. My passion is helping people navigate the difficulties they are facing in their lives. Whether that arises from life transitions, anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship or parenting concerns, or just finding yourself at a cross-roads in life. My experience includes working with a wide variety of people and mental health concerns, from the in-patient psychiatric hospital setting of Austin State Hospital to those of individuals in an out-patient setting.
Prior to becoming a mental health counselor, I worked in the corporate world and as an attorney. The broad experience that I gain in my first career informs my counseling, including working a wide range of people from many nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, religions, and life experience. I understand the various pressures faced by my clients, including professionally, in relationships, and as a parent.
Therapeutic Approach
My therapeutic approach is focused on working collaboratively to uncover and clarify each client's issues and create strategies to help, whether it be anxiety or depression, or other concerns issues like trauma, relationship or family concerns, parenting, career challenges, self-esteem and confidence, emotional regulation or other issues.
Therapy Process. We start by examining how the issues you are navigating are showing up in your life. We then look at what change you would like to see. Working together, you will identify your goals to achieve this change. To reach your goals, we will use a combination of exploring and processing what underlies these issues as well as developing skills and tools you can use everyday.
Therapeutic Approach. As a therapist, I take an integrative trauma informed approach to counseling, drawing from a variety of techniques to best meet your goals. I take a person-centered approach in therapy. We focus on what is going on with you. This allows us to discover your strengths, your challenges, your needs and gives space to make meaning of your life and the world around you. That said, there is no one size fits all for therapy. This means, we may use techniques from evidence-based theories, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, as well as existential theory. Using additional techniques from these theories allows the therapeutic process to connect more deeply for you in a way that is tailored to how you think and process your experiences and the world.
Inclusion and Safety. I enjoy working with clients from all walks of life in an inclusive and supportive manner. I am a LGBTQIA+ ally. Seeking therapy can be a difficult decision, and I strive to create a warm, welcoming environment where clients can feel safe and supported. My practice is founded on the principles of empathy, respect, and non-judgment, and a commitment to maintaining strict confidentiality and ethical standards in all of my work.
