Margaret Johnston, LMHC
Trauma-informed LMHC guiding meaningful change
- Trauma and stress support
- LGBTQA affirming care
- Grief and life transitions
About Margaret Johnston
Margaret Johnston is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) who brings eleven years of clinical experience and a long history of public speaking, community organizing, and social and environmental activism to her therapeutic work. She earned a Master of Clinical Psychotherapy from the University of North Florida in 2013 and completed a nine-month Clinical Pastoral Education internship under Ed Wilder that deepened her practice of attentive, reflective listening. Early in her career she spent eight months in the Talk program at Wounded Warrior, where listening and holding space for others was central to the work.
Margaret specializes in trauma-informed, person-centered care and uses strength-based methods to help people move through stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship and intimacy challenges, eating and body image concerns, ADHD and bipolar concerns, and the complex effects of life changes. She also supports people navigating abandonment wounds, blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, fertility and family-of-origin issues, first responder stress, and experiences of domestic violence. Her practice includes focused work with LGBTQA individuals and people involved in polyamory, kink, and alternative sexual cultures, and she affirms non-gendered identities and gender dysphoria concerns.
In session Margaret emphasizes deep listening, validation of unmet emotional needs, and collaborative meaning-making. She helps clients explore options, plan next steps, and identify purpose and goals so they can live with greater ease despite past pain or present triggers. She frames herself as a guide who meets each person where they are, centers cultural and racial context when it matters to the individual, and practices in an inclusive, secular, affirming, and non-judgmental manner.
Margaret specializes in trauma-informed, person-centered care and uses strength-based methods to help people move through stress, anxiety, grief, depression, relationship and intimacy challenges, eating and body image concerns, ADHD and bipolar concerns, and the complex effects of life changes. She also supports people navigating abandonment wounds, blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, fertility and family-of-origin issues, first responder stress, and experiences of domestic violence. Her practice includes focused work with LGBTQA individuals and people involved in polyamory, kink, and alternative sexual cultures, and she affirms non-gendered identities and gender dysphoria concerns.
In session Margaret emphasizes deep listening, validation of unmet emotional needs, and collaborative meaning-making. She helps clients explore options, plan next steps, and identify purpose and goals so they can live with greater ease despite past pain or present triggers. She frames herself as a guide who meets each person where they are, centers cultural and racial context when it matters to the individual, and practices in an inclusive, secular, affirming, and non-judgmental manner.
Areas of Expertise
Also Specializes In
Additional Focus Areas
AbandonmentBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesFamily of origin issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHoardingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic Approach
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Attachment-Based Therapy Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) Mindfulness Therapy Narrative Therapy Psychodynamic Therapy Solution-Focused Therapy Trauma-Focused Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
How much experience does Margaret Johnston have?
Margaret Johnston has 11 years of experience.
Is Margaret Johnston a licensed therapist?
Yes. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). License details: FL LMHC MH15423.
In which languages does Margaret Johnston provide therapy?
English
Where is Margaret Johnston located?
Florida
How can I work with Margaret Johnston as my therapist?
You can work with Margaret Johnston through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
Does Margaret Johnston work with international clients?
Yes, Margaret Johnston works with international clients.
How much does therapy with Margaret Johnston cost?
The cost of therapy can vary depending on factors such as your location and the therapist's availability. Sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time, for any reason. For current details, just click the "Start Therapy" button on this page.
How can I get started with therapy?
Getting started with therapy is quick and straightforward. Just click the "Start Therapy" button and complete a short questionnaire that helps match you with your therapist. Depending on availability, you can then schedule your first session, which may take place by phone, video call, live chat, or in-app messaging.
Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care
Margaret incorporates Client-Centered Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Attachment-Based Therapy into her online practice, choosing approaches to meet each person's needs. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on meeting people where they are, offering empathic listening and reflective responses so individuals can explore their feelings and values at their own pace - this approach is helpful for building self-awareness, self-esteem, and trust in the therapeutic relationship.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and develop practical steps toward those values while learning ways to live alongside difficult thoughts and feelings. It is often useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy attends to how early relationships shape current patterns of connection and coping, and it can be helpful for relationship challenges, intimacy issues, and healing from attachment wounds.
Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work. Margaret will collaborate with each person to identify which methods fit their goals, needs, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan over time as priorities change. Licensed professionals and therapists commonly blend techniques to match the individual rather than using a one-size-fits-all model.
Online sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives, bridge geographic distance, and maintain continuity during life transitions. These options provide flexibility in scheduling, allow for different modes of communication depending on comfort level, and make it practical to engage in consistent care with a therapist from wherever the client is located.