Debra Johnson

I am Debra M. Johnson, MSW, LCSW, LICSW, a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist with over two decades of experience in trauma-informed mental health and substance use treatment. I specialize in working with individuals and families impacted by trauma, substance use, service-related stress, and major life transitions.

I serve as the Statewide Director of Substance Use Disorder Services for Elevance Health and am the Founder and CEO of Life Matrix NC, PLLC. My approach is culturally responsive, strengths-based, and deeply relational, with a strong focus on equity, resilience, and sustainable healing.

Starting therapy can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re used to being the strong one, the helper, or the person who holds everything together. You may be carrying stress, trauma, substance-related concerns, or life transitions that feel too heavy to manage alone, even if you’ve handled a lot before.

In our work together, I offer a supportive, honest, and judgment-free space where your experiences are taken seriously, your strengths are respected, and practical change is possible. My approach to therapy is collaborative and grounded in real life. We focus on understanding what’s getting in the way, building skills that actually work, and helping you move toward greater clarity, stability, and connection at a pace that feels right for you.

In our first session, my goal is to create a gentle and supportive introduction to therapy, not an interrogation or a test. We will move at a pace that feels comfortable for you and focus on what feels safest and most important for you to share right now. You do not need to have the “right words,” relive everything, or tell your whole story all at once.My role is to help you feel grounded, understood, and supported as we begin to make sense of what you’re carrying and what you’d like help with. Everything we discuss is confidential, with the standard, legally required limits to confidentiality explained clearly and respectfully. This first meeting is about building trust, easing uncertainty, and helping you leave with a clearer sense of what support can look like for you.