Joy Johnson, LCSW, SEP
Somatic Experiencing Therapist in Athens, GA
The truth is, you’re a total badass who has been pushing through pain and difficulty for a long time. Despite being so strong, you may feel like you’re hitting a breaking point trying to hold it all together. You may feel alone in your pain and may not have found someone who really understands.
I’m Joy Johnson, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) in Athens, GA, offering in-person sessions and online therapy across Georgia. I work with adults just like you, helping you reconnect with your strengths in ways that don’t require you to keep pushing past your limits. I don’t just nod and reassure. I also bring Somatic Experiencing, a form of somatic therapy, to support your burnt out nervous system from the inside out.
Why I Do This Work
I do this work because I’ve been there, too, pushing through and holding it all together. While I believe professional training and research are important, my lived experience is part of what helps me understand what you’re going through and what can be most helpful.
Early in my life, I learned to manage stress and pain by pushing myself harder and trying to do more, all while needing to make it look like I was okay. It worked in some ways, but over time it only led to more stress and pain, and it wasn’t sustainable. That’s why I prioritize somatic work in my practice. It offers a gentle approach that can support meaningful change without asking you to work harder. It lets you discover what truly works for you, instead of fitting you into a plan you may have already tried countless times.
What Working Together Looks Like
Therapy doesn’t always have to feel heavy and serious. You can show up as you are. Laughter, jokes, cursing, and pop culture references are all welcome, no filter required. I encourage you to tell me if I’m missing something or if there’s something you’re not ready to talk about, because if we aren’t on the same page, it’s not going to be helpful to you. Your “no” is just as important as your “yes” to me, and you’re always welcome to say no to anything I suggest or tell me when something isn’t working. There’s not much you could say that would surprise or offend me, and as long as we are respectful of each other, you can trust that I can hold whatever you bring to therapy.
I’ll never tell you to just “stop being stressed” or to try harder at generic strategies that haven’t worked for you. With me, you’ll get something different: real tools that are tailored to your needs, offered at the right pace for your nervous system. Many people, myself included, are surprised by how much can shift from simply learning to track sensations or noticing imagery that comes up naturally. While it can be difficult or uncomfortable at times, it can also be fun to discover what your nervous system comes up with when we give it a little more space and support. [Learn more about what a session looks like.]
I’m LGBTQIA+ affirming, neurodivergent-affirming, and culturally responsive. I approach my work through a liberatory, intersectional lens, which means I take the whole person into account, including your identities, your culture, your communities, and the systems that shape your life. I want you to feel safe enough to be your most authentic, embodied self here, because that’s what makes meaningful therapeutic work possible.
Training & Credentials
My training combines body-based work, trauma & neurodivergent-informed care, and traditional psychotherapy, so I can adapt to what you need rather than relying on one approach. As an assistant at Somatic Experiencing International (SEI) trainings, I also support other clinicians in learning Somatic Experiencing.
Licensure & Education
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Georgia: CSW005806 (issued 2016)
Qualified Clinical Supervisor in Georgia (approved to supervise other therapists working toward licensure)
Master of Social Work (MSW) from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2013)
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from University of Georgia (2010)
Certifications
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) Certificate
Somatic Experiencing Training Assistant - Approved for Beginning & Intermediate Levels
Somatic Experiencing Personal Sessions Provider for SEI Students - Approved for Beginning Level
Trainings
Below is a brief list of my most recent or relevant trainings. I won’t bore you with a list of every training I’ve done, but I continually engage in training to stay current with research on complex trauma, neurodivergence, antiracism, intersectionality, and ethics, along with evidence-based therapies like CBT, ACT, and DBT.
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Somatic & Trauma
Somatic Experiencing Beginning, Intermediate, & Advanced modules
Somatic Experiencing Eye of the Needle 1
Neurodiversity
Adult ADHD: What Clinicians Need to Know
Sensory Superpowers in the ADHD Brain: Tapping into Somatic Intelligence for Regulation and Focus
Equity & Antiracism
Black Lives Matter: Antiracist Practice
Tending to Racial Trauma in Crisis
Other Trainings
Mindful Self-Compassion
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy in a Residential Setting
Supervision & Telemental Health
Writing, Teaching, Speaking
I love sharing what I’ve learned about the body, nervous system, trauma, chronic pain, and self-compassion with clinicians and the public, including as an assistant at Somatic Experiencing trainings. Teaching keeps me learning, and it shapes how I work with clients. Interested in having me speak? Reach out here.
The Self-Compassion Workbook
I wrote The Self-Compassion Workbook as a recovering perfectionist. Learning self-compassion gave me room to breathe and to do more of what mattered to me, instead of getting stuck in perfectionism and self-criticism. I also saw how much this work could help my clients, many of whom carry shame or perfectionism that can grow out of living in a world that has harmed them or wasn’t built for them. I wanted people to have a practical, down-to-earth way to learn and use self-compassion in their daily lives.
The Self-Compassion Workbook: Practical Exercises to Approach Your Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions with Kindness, published in 2020 by Rockbridge Press. Find the book.
Speaking & Continuing Education
The Body as an Ally: A Somatic Treatment Approach to Chronic Pain — Central Oregon Association of Psychologists, 2024
Self-Compassion for Helping Professionals: How to Keep Showing Up without Burning Out — New Jersey Prevention Network Peer Recovery Support Summit, 2021 and 2022
Podcast & Radio Interviews
Your Body is Your Ally, Not Your Enemy: Learning to Support Yourself through Chronic Illness — The Chronic Illness Therapist Podcast, Episode 8
Somatic Experiencing & Self-Compassion — The Mindful Psychology Podcast, Episode 92
Self-Compassion for Caregivers - The Empowered Caregiver (radio interview)
Outside the Therapy Room
As a therapist and an neurospicy ADHDer, it’s important for me to have ways to regulate and be creative. I enjoy reading novels, yoga, hiking, exploring Athens, and anything that gets me outdoors when the weather is nice and my body is cooperating. I watch a lot of TV and movies, and I’m probably on Instagram a little too much, so I can definitely keep up with your pop culture references.
My dog, Harlan, and cat, Karl, are my besties and provide some of the best regulation a girl could ask for.
If you’ve been looking for someone who really gets it, I’d love to hear what’s been going on.
A free 20-minute consultation is a no-pressure place to start, and you don’t need to have it all figured out.