Margaret Johnston, LMHC
Calm listener who helps reshape life stories
Details
| Name | Margaret Johnston |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LMHC |
| Based in | Florida |
| Licensed in | Florida |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 11 |
About Margaret
Margaret Johnston is a licensed mental health counselor who focuses on helping people untangle stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, and life changes. She speaks plainly and listens closely to help people find steadier footing. Her style is calm and direct, aimed at making therapy feel clear and useful from the first session.
Margaret draws on 11 years of clinical work and a Master of Clinical Psychotherapy from the University of North Florida earned in 2013.
Background and approach
She also completed a nine-month Clinical Pastoral Education internship focused on deep listening and spent time in a trauma support role with a Wounded Warrior program. These experiences shaped her way of being present with difficult feelings. In sessions she centers what matters to the person in front of her.
She uses Narrative ideas to help people notice the stories they tell about themselves and choose different ones. She blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and client-centered work to support values-based choices and practical action. Margaret is intentional about cultural awareness and recognizes how race and social context affect emotional life.
She is affirming of LGBTQA identities and people who identify with kink, polyamory, or nontraditional gender expressions. She aims to offer a nonjudgmental space where people can speak openly about intimacy, identity, and desire. Her approach includes listening, reflecting feelings back, and helping clients plan realistic steps toward goals.
Margaret helps people consider options and build meaning so they can move forward without being constantly tripped up by the past.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief among the things Margaret works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family of origin issues
- Fertility issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Traumatic brain injury
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Margaret among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Margaret directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Margaret directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How different approaches inform online counseling
Margaret often uses Narrative therapy to help people notice the stories they tell about themselves and the effects of those stories. This approach helps when identity, relationship patterns, shame, or cultural narratives feel stuck and you want to rewrite how you see yourself.She also integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small committed actions despite difficult feelings. ACT can help with anxiety, depression, and coping with life transitions by shifting attention toward what matters most.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Margaret treats therapy as a collaboration and will help you decide which methods fit your goals, needs, and comfort level. She adjusts pace and technique so the work feels manageable and relevant.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make scheduling easier. Video is useful for deeper conversations and visual connection, phone can be a lower-bandwidth option, and chat or messaging works well for short check-ins or when typing is easier. These formats give flexibility for appointments around work, caregiving, or travel while keeping therapy practical and focused.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does Margaret commonly address?
She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, eating and body image issues, bipolar and ADHD concerns, relationship and intimacy-related issues, and coping with life changes.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She listens closely and uses a person-centered style combined with Narrative and acceptance-based techniques to help people reframe stories and take values-aligned steps.
How long has she been practicing clinically?
She has 11 years of clinical experience and completed a Master of Clinical Psychotherapy at the University of North Florida in 2013 plus a nine-month Clinical Pastoral Education internship.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a Florida licensed mental health counselor - FL LMHC - and practices from Florida.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and she also accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Sessions can be conducted by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist arrangements; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How does someone begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Margaret are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Margaret where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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