.png)
Kara Johnson, LMFT
About Kara
I believe that everyone is doing the best they can with the skills they have at the time. If you feel like the ways you are coping aren't working well enough anymore or that difficult emotions are getting in the way, let's talk.
As a therapist, I want to meet you where you are and at the same time empower you to make changes that will reduce suffering and increase fulfillment. It is important to me to understand your world and help you create a life worth living. I use a balance of compassionate, nonjudgmental support and straightforward feedback, helping you gain more tools to cope and thrive in life on life's terms.
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and received my Masters in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine. I am also Linehan board-certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and have extensive post-masters training in DBT as well as in Exposure and Response Prevention (ExRP) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). These are evidence-based therapies that have comprehensive research backing up their efficacy and have improved outcomes when other therapies may have you feeling stuck or stagnant. I have experience in working as a therapist at all levels of care, including residential and inpatient treatment centers, as well as partial-hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs and outpatient clinics. I specialize in treating people with mood disorders, personality disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, and substance use/addiction. I often work with people that struggle with suicidal thinking, anxiety, impulsive behaviors, and/or depression.
When I’m not doing therapy, I enjoy walking and hiking with my dog, doing any type of racquet sport (my current favorite being paddle tennis) and building out my limited cooking repertoire with new recipes (tacos are everything).
Please feel free to contact me - I'd love to see if we are a good fit.