mindfulness coach and counselor
as featured in
Jennifer (Jen) Johnson is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, board certified coach, author, and photographer. She is the author of “Mindful Writing for Transformation” book chapter in Transformational Journaling for Coaches, Therapists, and Clients: A Complete Guide to the Benefits of Personal Writing and “Making Peace with Your Inner Critic” book chapter in The Creativity Workbook for Coaches and Creatives: 50+ Inspiring Exercises from Creativity Coaches Worldwide.
Jen has been a mindfulness teacher and counselor for 35+ years, and she has had a camera in her hand since she was 7 years old. Her work is about teaching people how to embrace life’s beauty and joy more fully and cope with life’s difficult times more skillfully in order to feel more peaceful and fully alive.
Jen has experienced deep loss in her life, and this has played a significant role in inspiring her work as a teacher, counselor, and artist.
Jen’s work is grounded in neuroscience research and the neuroplasticity of the brain and how we can incline our minds toward greater peace, happiness, and well-being. She has studied brain science since the early 1980s while working in the Neurotoxicology Division of the Health Effects Research Lab at the EPA and working with clients with brain injury at Shepherd Center rehabilitation hospital in the mid 1990s.
Jen’s work with trauma survivors began in the early 1990s while serving as Helpline Director for a child abuse prevention crisis hotline. She then worked with spinal cord and brain injury survivors at Shepherd Center and later worked on a contractual basis as the statewide Coordinator for Independent Living Needs for the Veterans Administration in Georgia. Jen later created a grant funded project, Invisible Wounds of War, that offered mindfulness, photography, and writing workshops for veterans.
Only by listening inwardly in a fresh and open way will you discern at any given time what most serves your healing and freedom. — Tara Brach
On the Personal Side, Jen loves:
- writing and making photographs
- cultivating a native plant garden for pollinators
- volunteering as a bird steward for North Carolina Audubon & creek watcher for Cape Fear Riverwatch
- being in nature with her little dog, Ari Rooh
Education and Certification
B. A. Psychology, Meredith College 1986
M.S. Counseling, Georgia State University 1991
M.S. Rehabilitation Counseling (Illness & Injury), Georgia State University 1996
M.F.A. Interdisciplinary Arts (Creative Writing, Photography, Art and Healing) 2007
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in NC (LCMHC) #6478
Licensed Professional Counselor in GA (LPC) #2891
Board Certified Coach (BCC) #3925
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) #14905
Board Certified Counselor (NBCC) #26687
Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) #893
Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT-200)
Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP)
Reiki Master
Certified Permaculture Design Specialist
Certified Master Birder. Atlanta Audubon, 2005
working toward certification as an Environmental Educator in NC
Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside awakens.
Carl Jung
Publications
“Mindful Writing for Transformation” book chapter in Transformational Journaling for Coaches, Therapists, and Clients: A Complete Guide to the Benefits of Personal Writing. Routledge, 2021.
“Making Peace with Your Inner Critic” book chapter in The Creativity Workbook for Coaches and Creatives: 50+ Inspiring Exercises from Creativity Coaches Worldwide. Routledge, 2019.
“Healing Bodies & Souls through Writing and Photography” PainPathways Magazine Fall 2016 print edition.
Learning to See Invisible Wounds of War op-ed. StarNews November 11, 2015.
“Meeting Pain with Mindfulness” PainPathways Magazine. Summer 2014 print edition.
“After the Diagnosis: Coping with Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity.” Guest Author, CeliacCorner Blog. 2013.
“Finding Joy After Loss.” Psychology Today Blog Guest post for Eric Maisel’s Rethinking Psychology blog. April 2, 2013.
“10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Stress.” mindbodygreen.com September 14, 2012.
“5 Things You Can Do to Live a Mindful Life.” JenningsWire: The World of Success. October 24, 2012.
“Are You Balanced? Here Are the 7 Kinds of Wellness You Need.” mindbodygreen.com November 12, 2012.
“How to Commit to Your Creativity“ Republished by Creativity for Life. October 2012 (no longer in publication on this site). Republished by Creativity Post. Originally published on Jen’s blog in 2011.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Improve your sense of wellbeing” Naturally ILM. April 2012.
“How to Meditate Part I –Awareness of Breath Meditation.” JenningsWire: The World of Success. November 6, 2012.
“How to Meditate Part II — Mindfulness of the Body.” JenningsWire: The World of Success. December 5, 2012.
“How to Meditate Part III: Mindfulness of Feelings.” JenningsWire: The World of Success. April 18, 2013.
Feature: ” The Value of a Vacation” New Life Journal. June 2009.
“The Wreck,” “After The Wreck,” and “Plastic Surgery Phase II” poems transposed onto photographs. The-Healing-Muse: A Journal of Literary and Visual Arts.October 2008, Volume 8.
Feature: “The Healing Power of Writing From Life” New Life Journal. July 2008.
“A Sister’s Call.” Writing published in conjunction with photography exhibit by Rebecca Schaper. Emory University Law Library, Atlanta, GA. 2006.
Authored “Acquired Brain Injury Vocational Rehabilitation Manual.” Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA. 1998.
“An Overview of Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome.” University of Florida/Intellicus Life Care Plan Training Program. Module 3- Multiple Disabilities section, pp. 55-70. 1997.
Chapter “Vocational Rehabilitation with Persons With Acquired Brain Injury” in Shepherd Center’s Acquired Brain Injury Program Family Training Manual. 1996.
Authored “Child Abuse Prevention and Survivor’s Helpline Training Manual.” Georgia Council on Child Abuse. 1994.
Jen’s work has been featured in:
Coastline: A New Year, A New You? WHQR’s Coastline talk radio show.
WECT-TV “First at Four” How Mindfulness Can Help You Reduce Stress & Feel Happier
WECT-TV “First at Four” Tips on How to De-Stress
Online gallery of Invisible Wounds of War exhibit UNCW Randall Library
Beneath the surface Wilma Magazine November 2015.
Jen Johnson’s remarks at the Invisible Wounds of War exhibit opening reception video courtesy of UNCW
WHQR Interview Healing Invisible Wounds. WHQR Radio Midday Interview with Gina Gambony August 2015
WHQR Interview Invisible Wounds of War. WHQR Radio Midday Interview with Gina Gambony October 2015
Wilma Magazine. “Slowing Down: Eating Mindfully During the Holidays. ”
Wrightsville Beach Magazine. “Live Well.”
Teaching Experience
Mars Hill College: Expository Essay; Documented Essay
A-B Technical Community College: Expository Writing
Antioch University McGregor: Journaling for Transformation
UNC-Asheville College for Seniors: Writing From Life; Witness Narratives: Stories of Survival
UNC-Wilmington Osher Lifelong Learning Institute: Meditation for Stress Reduction
Georgia State University: Teaching assistant for Roger Weed, PhD, Rehabilitation Counseling program
Private Classes & Workshops: Mindful Writing; Mindful Writing for Transformation; Mindful Journaling for Transformation; Mindfulness for Resilience; What Remains: Finding Beauty in a Broken World; Being Resilient in Difficult Times; Narrative Witnessing: Stories of Survival; The Heart of Self-Compassion; Awakening the Heart to Joy; Creating Clear Intentions.
Teaching Residency
Wells College, Aurora, NY. March 7 -11, 2016. Teacher and artist in residence. Taught interdisciplinary courses on mindfulness, photography and writing to Creative Writing, Theatre and Dance, Psychology, Human Services and Pre-Health students. Provided mindfulness workshops to the campus and local community.
Grant Awards
2015 and 2017 recipient of The North Carolina Humanities Counci’s “Standing Together Grant” to support Invisible Wounds of War project.
2016-2017 recipient of The Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County’s “Regional Artist Project Grant” to support Ghost Trees photography exhibition.
Photography Collections
Georgia State University
Shepherd Pain Clinic
Atlanta Medical Clinic
Merrill Lynch
private collections
Solo Photography Exhibitions
2017 Ghost Trees. Expo 216. Wilmington, NC
2017 Invisible Wounds of War. The Arts Council of Wilmington Gallery. Wilmington, NC
2015 Invisible Wounds of War. UNCW Randall Library. Wilmington, NC
Group Photography Exhibitions
2020 Ghost Trees. Art in Bloom Gallery. Wilmington, NC
2019 Art of the Image ’19. Art in Bloom Gallery and theArtWorks. Juror Beth Handler Riebe. First Place Award Winner for “The Answer Lies Within” from the Ghost Trees project.
2017 State of the Art Art of the State. Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC
2016 Ghost Trees. Into the Deep online group show.
2011 ONE. Haustudio, Ivanhoe, NC
2008 Asheville Then & Now. YMI Cultural Center, Asheville, NC
2007 Crossing Over: Looking from There to Here, Looking from Here to There. The Annexe Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2006 Whimsical Dreams of August. Avenue Art Gallery, Endicott, NY
2006 A Sister’s Call. Writing published with photography exhibit by Rebecca Shaper. Emory University Law Library. Atlanta, GA
2005 ten. The Seen Gallery. Atlanta, GA
2003 Photographer’s Choice. Atlanta Photography Group Gallery, Atlanta, GA