George H. Johnson

Psychotherapist for Individuals and Marriage/Couples (bi-lingual, English/Spanish)

George Johnson, LICSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with individuals and couples. His primary specialty is in relationship work, as he enjoys helping to demystify and shift negative patterns that keep you stuck in gridlock with your partner.

His 29 years of experience guides his skillful ability to help shine a light on areas where support or correction are needed. His approach is strengths-based and supportive—providing empathy, and attentiveness—with structure to help you look at what is most painful, to find healing and rejuvenation.

George is skilled at treating mood disorders including depression, anxiety, and anger issues as well as issues related to substance abuse, traumatic experiences, loss, chronic illness, relationship issues, sexuality, and identity.

TREATMENT FOCUS AREAS

• Couples Therapy
• Depression/Anger/Mood Regulation
• Anxiety/Panic/Stress Disorders
• Addiction and Substance Abuse Recovery
• Trauma Recovery
• LGBTQ Supports
• Transgender Supports
• Life Transitions/Grief/Loss
• Health Related Concerns
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

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TREATMENT APPROACH:

I tailor my approach to meet the needs of each individual, and strive to understand each individual within their unique context, without making assumptions. The tools and interventions I provide in therapy are based on cognitive-behavioral, psychoanalytic (learning from our past experiences) and trauma-informed (developmental psychology focused on removing constraints and building support to learn new capacities).

I also have experience with multicultural, diverse environments and can sensitively incorporate these factors into our work together.

I value the relationship I have with you and view this as a key to success in any therapy. My goal is to create a safe, warm, and non-judgmental environment where you’ll feel heard and understood.

I’m skilled at helping people experiment to try on new mental habits or behaviors that are more efficient at navigating stressful experiences or hardship. This holds true in my work with couples, where I create structured conversations where each partner has a healing, encouraging space to work out complex feelings while maintaining connection to their partner and deepest values.

I love helping couples get to the underlying issues that are causing their conflicts and helping partners communicate with each other more effectively. Most importantly, I can help you strengthen the bond between you and your partner in order to create a secure, loving foundation for your relationship.

I specialize in treating trauma and appreciate the opportunity to instill hope and build connections with those who previously thought that such healing and a sense of empowerment were not possible. I’ve been able to help my clients move towards a life that is not dominated by their traumatic experiences.

EDUCATION

• BA in English, Franklin & Marshall College
• MA in Spanish, Middlebury College Spanish School
• MSS Clinical Social Work, Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research
• C.G. Jung Institute, Philadelphia
• Interned at Hahnemann University Hospital, Philadelphia

Schedule Your Consultation
Or call George directly at 202-629-1949 ext. 13

Here are some clinical issues that I work with frequently, and typical goals of therapy:

Couples/Families/Parents

• Improve communication – create safety to talk about sensitive subjects with respect and care.
• Transform relationship conflict into connection – deal constructively with negativity and gain healthier, more balanced expectations for your relationship.
• Infidelity – find out what created the opportunity for an affair, whether you can really work it out and stay together and discover ways to repair your relationship.
• Pre-marital and pre-parental counseling – discuss some common issues that arise for couples as they are preparing for marriage or expanding their family.

Individuals

• Improving your success in relationships – gain confidence with being yourself and relating to others.
• Women’s mental health – resolving gender-based stress, depression, and difficulty in the workplace.
• Identity development – identifying where you are in your racial/ethnic identity development and/or gender or sexual identity development and how it may be impacting your life.
• Managing moods (depression, anxiety, chronic stress) – take control of your life and free yourself from fear and worry.
• Grief counseling – find forgiveness and stability as you grow from tragedy or loss.
• Healing from trauma and adversity – restore a healthy balance and rhythm and find new meaning in your life.
• Substance abuse – receive personal support in your recovery to identify and heal the pain that keeps triggering your drinking, smoking, or other drug use.