Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Johnson.
Lauren, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I got my undergraduate degree in Psychology at The University of Georgia. During my senior year, I had a lot of credits I could use for electives so I decided to explore my options. I came across a class called The History of Disability through UGA’s Institute of Human Development and Disability. This class blew my mind and opened my eyes to how we treat people who are deemed “other” in our society. I took a few other classes through the institute and by the end of my senior year, I knew I had to pursue a graduate degree in order to work with people living with disabilities, from physical to mental. In researching graduate programs, I came across the Rehabilitation Counseling Masters program at Georgia State. I went to an information session for the program and knew that was where I needed to be next. Rehabilitation Counseling is a mental health counseling with an emphasis on disability and how it impacts the individual and their family.
What I learned in the program wasn’t solely focused on what you would first think of when disability comes to mind. I learned about chronic illness, addiction, mental health disorders; the full spectrum of the human experience. As part of the program, we were required to do a year-long internship. I didn’t have a clear idea of the population I wanted to focus on so I decided to pursue two different internship sites. I spent the first part of the year at Riverwoods Behavioral Health, a psychiatric facility in Riverdale. The amount I learned there in a few short months was invaluable. I worked with people from all walks of life and it gave me skills that still help me to this day. For the second portion of the year, I worked at The Shepherd Center in the Vocational Rehabilitation department, helping people with brain and spinal cord injuries get back to work or school post-injury. These two experiences were completely different and totally invaluable. I learned a lot about myself and realized how much I wanted to focus on the mental health side of my profession. Job placement was just not for me. After graduation, I worked at Riverwoods again managing caseloads on the various units and after a while was afforded the opportunity to run their Substance Abuse Unit.
I have a family history of addiction and was resistant to working with the population at first but quickly learned how much I loved it. Riverwoods is a very fast paced and high volume environment and after 2 years I was ready to move on. I was afforded the opportunity to join a group private practice and decided to take the leap even though my experience wasn’t related to that environment. I very quickly learned how much I loved working individually with people to help them find the best path for their lives. In September of last year, I decided to open my own practice and that brings us today. I have a caseload that ranges from teens all the way up, where I work with people with addiction, anxiety, depression, LGBT issues, transgender concerns, and beyond. I couldn’t be happier with the path my life has taken and I am excited to see where my practice grows from here.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not always been a smooth road. I have had to learn how to set boundaries with myself and my clients. As a therapist, I can’t work harder than my clients and there were some very long days and rough nights before I learned that lesson. Early on, I would work crazy hours and lose sleep worrying about certain clients. I had to very quickly learn how to physically and mentally remove myself from work or I would burn out very quickly. I learned the importance of self-care in those early days. Since opening my own practice, the struggle has been trying to figure out all the moving parts of owning your own business and making sure your bases are covered. I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by a great support system that has helped me figure out some of the bumps along the way. I might be an expert in mental health but I am definitely not an expert in business so bringing in outside experts has proven to be a great help.
Lauren Johnson Counseling Services – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Starting out, I had no idea where my expertise would fall. I felt that I didn’t have enough experience or knowledge to be called an expert in anything. That mindset was ultimately my own confidence trying to stop me from growth. The more I worked with people the more I learned about my areas of specialty. As previously mentioned, I specialize in addiction, anxiety, depression, and transgender issues. I work with adults and teenagers and have found that teenagers and I connect really well and I have enjoyed seeing my skillset develop with that population. Ultimately, I am most proud of my ability to connect with people and watching people make connections for themselves in my office and their every day lives. I can’t describe the warm fuzzy feeling I get when my clients tell me that they thought about our conversations at certain moments in their day or share things we discuss with their friends and families. I think what sets me apart from others is my willingness to share myself with my clients. If I feel like parts of my life would help my client, I am more than willing to share that with them so they don’t feel so alone.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
My personal definition of success is am I able to live life the way I want and help others. I have no desire to be the next Dr. Phil type, I fault no one who wants to pursue that but ultimately I know that path isn’t for me. I simply want to be able to afford my daily life and be able to assist others in theirs. I think it is important that I am able to practice what I preach and success for me is being able to enjoy other aspects of life other than working. I strive every day to have balance and so I constantly try to evaluate the different parts of my life and see what needs more attention or what is pulling more focus. Markers of success for me would simply be if family, friends, work, and myself are getting the appropriate amount of attention and energy that they deserve, so basically I will be working the rest of my life to achieve this. No pressure.
Pricing:
- I accept Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance
- I am currently pursuing a contract with Humana and hope to have that finalized soon
- For self-pay clients, my hourly rate is $130
Contact Info:
- Address: 1936 North Druid Hills Road NE
Suite A
Atlanta, GA 30319 - Website: laurenjohnsoncounseling.com
- Phone: 404-984-9750
- Email: lauren@laurenjohnsoncounseling.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenjohnsoncounselingservices
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