Melissa Johnson, LCSW

My name is Melissa Johnson, and I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker located in Louisville, Kentucky. I specialize in working with individual adults who want to explore the roots of their emotions, behaviors, and communication patterns. My approach helps clients gain a non-pathologizing understanding of their experiences, empowering them to see themselves with clarity and compassion.

 

As a Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist with over a decade of experience, my therapeutic style is rooted in trauma-informed care and guided by core values of compassion, humility, knowledge, and hope. I believe in a non-hierarchical approach that places clients in the powerful position of understanding and healing themselves.

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Therapy often requires hard work, both during sessions and through insight-oriented practices outside of them — but I bring a playful and supportive attitude to the process to make the journey approachable and meaningful. 

 

I was inspired to become a therapist through my work as an advocate for survivors of interpersonal violence, and my social work training deepened my understanding of systemic oppression. Therapy allows me to blend my passion for social justice with individual healing, focusing on stewardship and supporting clients without taking on the responsibility to "fix" them.

 

In addition to psychotherapy practice, I have worked in political advocacy as the Executive Director for the National Association of Social Workers Kentucky, and advocated on the federal level as the President of the Clinical Social Work Association. Both of these positions represented my passion for advocacy and allowed me to speak for clients on a larger scale.

 

Clients often leave therapy with a clearer, more compassionate perspective on their lives, describing growth in confidence and curiosity about themselves. While the work can be challenging at times, it leads to transformative change. My clients describe me as warm, kind, and unafraid to ask the tough questions.

 

I offer virtual and in-person sessions to clients in Kentucky and virtual sessions to clients in Indiana. If it sounds like we would be a good fit to work with each other, please reach out. I look forward to meeting you!

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— Melissa