It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Alex Johnson, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) located in Ankeny, Iowa. In our work together, I’m not just a therapist, but a real person who is honored to build a healing connection with you.
I truly believe in the power of this healing connection being an integral part of the therapy process. The therapeutic relationship is one where we both can be vulnerable, share human experiences, and learn from each other to write new narratives to move forward with. I believe that therapy can be a place where you connect with another person, feel heard, feel seen, and uncover what you’ve buried in a safe and empowering way.
We all have labels, diagnoses, or past experiences that sometimes feel as though they define our existence or who we are as a person. I strive to see you as a whole, one-of-a-kind person in our therapy sessions together. I plan to show up in the same way, which means you will see me as a human as well, not just “therapist Alex.” Therapy is a space where every part of you is welcome. I will be present with you, listening, honoring, and working to understand how each part of you has helped shape the person you are today.
In any human relationships, mistakes and misunderstandings are bound to happen. Especially when mirroring and working through past experiences.
My identity and experiences inform my work as a therapist, too. Besides being a therapist, I am a woman, a wife, a mother, and a Christian.
I have also gone through my own struggles, including grief, loss, and trauma, which I navigated through therapy and self-care to achieve my healing goals. As a child, I was even attacked by a dog, and now I’m empowered to train and utilize Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) with my dog, Winston, in everyday practice with clients.
I truly believe we all have a tremendous capacity for healing, growth, and empowerment, and I would be honored to help you uncover that capacity in your own life.
In addition to my lived experience, my professional training is designed to support you on your healing journey:
EMDR Training – 2021
Phase 1 of Transforming the Experience Based Brain – 2022
Perinatal Therapy Training – 2023
Bringing Baby Home by The Gottman Institute – 2023
Holding Space for Pregnancy and Infancy Loss – 2023
Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) Training – 2022 to Present (Ongoing)
Membership in the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP)
To help you grow, I will gently push, challenge, and empower you through a blend of Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI), EMDR Therapy, Transforming the Experience Based Brain (TEB), and other trauma-informed modalities.
You will learn to identify your underlying fears and the feelings, experiences, and ideas you may be avoiding.
You will learn to become in tune with your body, so you can hear the important messages it’s trying to send you about what feels good in your life – and what needs to change, too.
You will learn to truly listen to yourself, trust yourself, set boundaries, and how to have healthy relationships with others.
Are you ready to begin?
