Karen Johnston

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with over 13 years of experience helping adults navigate challenging life circumstances and work toward meaningful change. As a counselor, I bring a thoughtful, steady, and engaged approach to therapy. I focus on helping clients understand patterns that keep them stuck, process difficult experiences, and develop practical ways to move forward with greater clarity and emotional balance.

My work is trauma-informed, and I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). I use evidence-based approaches to support healing from past experiences while keeping therapy focused on improvement, growth, and increased stability in the present. I value purposeful sessions that are collaborative, structured, and responsive to each client’s goals.

Populations I serve include:

• Adults of all ages
• Individuals experiencing anxiety, grief and loss, and major life transitions
• Parents navigating parenting stress and family demands
• Deep thinkers and emotionally intense individuals, including gifted adults
• Women navigating perimenopause and menopause
• Men facing stress, role transitions, and internal pressures
• Individuals from multicultural backgrounds or blended-cultural families
• Individuals and families connected to military life
• Couples and families

My approach to therapy is collaborative, thoughtful, and focused on meaningful change. I work with clients to understand not only what they are experiencing, but how patterns developed and what can be done to shift them. Therapy is an active process—one that supports insight while also helping clients build emotional stability, resilience, and practical tools for daily life.

I practice from a trauma-informed perspective and integrate evidence-based approaches, including EMDR when appropriate. I pay close attention to how the nervous system responds to stress, loss, and past experiences, and I tailor treatment to each client’s needs, readiness, and goals. Sessions are structured yet flexible, allowing space for processing while maintaining forward momentum.

I believe therapy should help clients feel more grounded, clearer in their thinking, and more confident in their ability to navigate life’s challenges. My goal is to help clients move out of patterns that feel overwhelming or limiting and toward greater emotional balance, self-understanding, and hope for the future.

Taking the step to seek counseling is not always easy, and many clients come to the first session feeling unsure, nervous, or simply tired of carrying so much on their own. Reaching out for support is already a meaningful step toward change.

The first session is an opportunity for us to begin understanding what has brought you to therapy and what you would like to change or improve. We will talk about your current concerns, relevant background, and what you hope to gain from counseling. The session is focused on gathering information, clarifying goals, and beginning to shape a direction for our work together.

You can expect a thoughtful, structured conversation. There is no pressure to share everything at once. I will ask questions to better understand your experiences, stressors, and patterns, while also helping you identify what feels most important to address first.

By the end of the first session, most clients have a clearer sense of direction and a better understanding of how therapy can support them. We will discuss next steps and determine an approach that fits your needs and goals, so you leave feeling encouraged and confident about moving forward.