Johanna Chaidez

I work with children, teens, and adults, and my experience includes both community mental health and private practice. I have worked with children and families involved in foster care, as well as immigrant families who experienced separation at the border. Those experiences taught me how important it is to understand the whole person, not just the symptoms that bring them to therapy. I have additional training in EMDR and play therapy, and I am currently working toward my Registered Play Therapist credential. I especially enjoy helping clients work through anxiety, trauma, difficult life experiences, and major transitions.

I try to meet people where they are and not force therapy into one specific box. Some people come in ready to talk, while others need more time to feel comfortable, and both are okay. My approach may include EMDR, play therapy, or more traditional talk therapy depending on what feels most helpful for you. I want therapy to feel supportive, genuine, and like a place where you do not have to perform or say the “right” thing. Just show up as you are, and we can build from there together.

Your first session is really about getting to know you and understanding what brought you in. With adults and teens, we’ll talk about what has been going on, what you would like help with, and what you hope will feel different. With children, I also spend time learning from the parent or caregiver while helping the child feel comfortable in the space at their own pace. I do not expect anyone to open up all at once. My hope is that you leave the first session feeling a little more at ease and with a clearer sense of what working together could look like.