Heather Johnson, LPC

Experience
I have worked as a therapist in a wide range of settings since 2014. Some of the locations I have practiced include a substance abuse recovery program, the county jail, a child therapy center, a crisis center, and municipal and circuit court mental health therapy.

Education
I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in Oregon, License C6468. Major coursework included human growth and development with an emphasis on spiritual and cultural influences, group dynamics, and substance use. Since completing my formal education, I have become a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP) and most recently completed my training and hours for CADC I with the Addiction Counselor Certification Board of Oregon. I am in the process of becoming a licensed Sex Therapist as well as completing the following certifications; Complex Trauma Certified Professional (CCTP-I), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Certificate, and Certified ADHD Professional (ADHD-CCSP).

I am currently completing training to become a Certified Sex Therapist (CST) through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). Certification requires over 200 hours of post-graduate education and consultation in areas of the following as they relate to sexual health and pleasure:

• Ethics and ethical behavior.
• Developmental sexuality from a bio-psycho-social perspective across the life course.
• Socio-cultural, familial factors (e.g., ethnicity, culture, religion, spirituality, socioeconomic status, family values) concerning sexual values and behaviors.
• Issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity: heterosexuality; issues and themes impacting lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, and asexual people; gender identity and expression.
• Intimacy skills (e.g., social, emotional, sexual), intimate relationships, interpersonal relationships, and family dynamics.
• Diversities in sexual expression and lifestyles, including, but not limited to, polyamory, swinging, BDSM, and tantra.
• Sexual and reproductive anatomy/physiology.
• Health/medical factors that may influence sexuality, including, but not limited to, illness, disability, drugs, mental health, conception, pregnancy, childbirth & pregnancy termination, contraception, fertility, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infection, other infections, sexual trauma, injury, and safer sex practices.
• Range of sexual functioning and behavior, from optimal to problematic, including, but not limited to, common issues such as desire discrepancy, lack of desire, difficulty achieving or maintaining arousal, sexual pain, penetration problems, and difficulty with orgasm.
• Sexual exploitation, including sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.
• Cyber sexuality and social media.
• Substance use/abuse and sexuality.
• Pleasure enhancement skills.
• Learning theory and its application.
• Professional communication and personal reflection skills.
• History of the discipline of sex research, theory, education, counseling, and therapy.
• Principles of sexuality research and research methods.

 
I am also completing additional training for Kink Informed Certification (KIC), a comprehensive and progressive certification. Even with the best intentions, many professionals lack access to additional training that would allow their practice to be truly kink-aware or kink-positive. Lack of current education can potentially lead to causing harm to the client by unknowingly introducing sex-negative stereotypes or misinformation into the session.

With this training, I will better provide for clients’ needs regarding sexuality for those that engage in kink, BDSM, and alternative sexuality. Do you want better relationships and to feel more sexually alive? Do you desire closeness and greater intimacy with your partner or spouse? Do you want to improve communication and avoid arguments? Is your sexual relationship tense? If this is you, I’d like to help you create the type of meaningful life, fulfilling relationships, and enjoyable sexuality you want. I want to empower you to live your best life and to feel good about your sexuality. I provide a safe, judgment-free environment to process & address these struggles as well as sexual identity & alternative lifestyle issues/struggles.