Donna Johnson , LCSW

Donna Johnson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in New York with 40 years of clinical experience guiding people through complex emotional challenges. She focuses on helping clients manage depression, anxiety, self-esteem concerns, substance use and addiction, and the stresses that accompany life transitions, offering steady, empathetic support shaped by decades of hands-on work.

She has particular experience supporting LGBTQ+ individuals and older adults who are seeking meaningful therapeutic connections. Her work centers on honoring each person's distinct story and fostering themes of self-care, self-love, purpose, and resilience. Clients benefit from approaches that address past trauma, encourage the use of affirmations, and help people move toward their fullest potential.

Donna emphasizes practical, holistic strategies that take into account how mood-related neurochemicals - including dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins - respond to daily activities. She integrates therapeutic humor to build emotional resilience, reframe negative thought patterns, and reduce tension, while helping clients develop stronger emotional skills and reduce isolation. Through collaborative, personalized counseling, she partners with individuals to transform difficult experiences into opportunities for growth, healing, and renewed self-discovery.

Evidence-Based Practices and Remote Care

Donna Johnson uses trauma-informed therapy to help people process and integrate difficult past experiences. This approach focuses on understanding how trauma has shaped thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and supports gradual healing and increased emotional safety for those experiencing post-traumatic stress and related challenges.

She also emphasizes behavioral activation and lifestyle-focused strategies that encourage small, practical changes in daily routines. These techniques aim to boost mood and motivation by increasing rewarding activities and improving routines that influence neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Alongside these methods, she employs therapeutic humor and cognitive reframing to help clients shift unhelpful thinking patterns and release tension through new perspectives.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process; Donna collaborates with each person to identify which techniques best match their needs, goals, and preferences. The selection of methods evolves as the work progresses, with the client and therapist deciding together what helps most.

Online therapy options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit care into busy lives and to access consistent support from licensed professionals regardless of location. These formats offer flexibility in scheduling, regular continuity of sessions, and multiple ways to communicate depending on what feels most comfortable for the client.