Mary Johnston, LPC

Mary Johnston is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Tennessee who uses practical, goal-focused methods to help people manage stress, anxiety, addiction, and mood struggles. She explains things plainly and works to make early sessions feel manageable for worried parents and adults. Mary aims to meet people where they are and build a clear plan that fits daily life.

Mary has ten years of counseling experience across outpatient and group settings. Much of her work has focused on substance use, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. She also supports people dealing with relationship strain, blended family challenges, parenting stress, and issues tied to identity and self-worth.

Her approach blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, client-centered listening, and solution-focused techniques. That means she helps people spot unhelpful thoughts, sets small practical goals, and follows the person’s lead about what matters most. Sessions tend to emphasize skills you can use between meetings and realistic steps that fit a busy schedule.

Mary is comfortable using a variety of session formats, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. She uses language that is straightforward and nonjudgmental to reduce worry and build trust. The work is collaborative and paced to each person’s comfort.

For people concerned about substance use, trauma, or ongoing mood symptoms, Mary combines direct skill teaching with a supportive, respectful stance. She focuses on measurable progress and practical coping strategies that can change day-to-day life.

Approaches that translate well to online care

Mary uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT often includes simple exercises to try between sessions, which work well with online check-ins and written follow-ups.

She also practices client-centered therapy, which is built around listening closely and following the person’s priorities. This approach makes sessions feel collaborative and supports people who need space to tell their story at their own pace.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Mary will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has helped in the past. From there she suggests strategies and checks in regularly to adjust the plan together.

Online formats available include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions let therapists and clients use visual cues and screen-shared worksheets. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited or for quick check-ins. Live chat and text messaging can make short skills practice and between-session support easier to fit into a busy week. These options give flexibility for scheduling and for choosing how to engage in therapy.