Margaret Johnston

Margaret Johnston is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) who helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, depression, eating concerns, and questions about identity and relationships. She meets people where they are and aims to listen closely so clients feel heard. Her approach centers on helping people find meaning and practical next steps when life feels overwhelming.

Margaret trained at the University of North Florida, earning a Master of Clinical Psychotherapy in 2013. She completed a nine-month internship in Clinical Pastoral Education focused on deep listening, and she has experience supporting people in the Wounded Warrior Talk program. Her background includes public speaking, community organizing, and activism, which shape how she views social and cultural factors in therapy.

In sessions she uses person-centered methods that emphasize the client’s strengths and lived knowledge. She also draws from cognitive behavioral ideas and acceptance-based work to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try new ways of responding. Attachment-informed thinking and emotionally-focused methods guide conversations about connection, trust, and intimacy.

Margaret works with a range of concerns including body image, eating and food-related issues, ADHD, bipolar challenges, and complicated grief. She explicitly welcomes people from LGBTQ and nontraditional relationship communities and attends to race and culture when those themes matter to a person’s experience.

Her style is straightforward and compassionate. She helps people reflect on their needs, make plans, and take small steps toward goals. Prospective clients are encouraged to consider whether her blend of deep listening and practical planning feels like a fit.

Therapeutic approaches and how they fit online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and struggles with self-sabotage. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and testing small changes to reduce distress and improve functioning. It is often used for anxiety, mood concerns, and eating-related patterns. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early and current relationships shape trust and closeness, which can help with intimacy issues and emotional regulation.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your goals and preferences, explain different methods, and work together to choose what fits best. Plans are adjusted as therapy progresses so the approach stays practical and relevant to your life.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and let conversations happen from wherever you are. Because session formats were not specified in the biography, please confirm the available online options before booking. The focus in online work remains the same - listening, building understanding, and planning small steps that fit into everyday life.