Therapist Spotlight: Josh Johnson MA, LLP
As a therapist at our Grand Blanc location, what challenges do you specialize in treating?
I tend to specialize in life transitions and grief/loss, but of course, that can include a wide variety of different topics for different people. I like to focus on feelings and thoughts while in session, and changing behaviors as homework outside of the office. I tend to feel as though therapy is best practiced one to four hours per month, and however much time is available in our daily lives to work on ourselves, that homework is a great way to continue improving.
What do you find is most important about your role as a therapist?
I think my role as a therapist is to validate, normalize, and challenge people depending on the situation. Therapy is often about feeling better, but there is also an aspect of having to dig down and feel worse too; I don’t think people realize that if they have no experience in treatment. At the end of the day, I am more of a navigator, a person with a map to the client who has to do the actual driving.
In your opinion, how do you help people?
I wish people knew that therapy is not only about “going to the doctor” when you’re “sick” but also that it is important to maintain a healthy mind-frame in between those moments as well. Sometimes we all need a tune-up, so to speak.
What is something that you wish people knew about your specialties, or about therapy in general?
In my particular psychological focus, I also hope that people will use therapy to help them find meaning in their life.
Can you describe an influential person or experience in your life?
I would say that the most influential person in my life is my wife, who is a teacher. I have never met a person more willing to work hard and to constantly try and improve herself as a person, and I am lucky to have known her these last 10 years. She continues to inspire me every day, and I hope every teacher out there is like her because it means our children are in good hands.
Josh Johnson works at our Grand Blanc Great Lakes Psychology Group Location. To learn more about him, please visit his therapist profile. For more information about our Grand Blanc location, please visit our location page.
