Marcus Johnson , LMHC

Marcus Johnson is a Harlem-based therapist originally from New Jersey who brings a long track record of advocacy, mediation, and clinical work to his practice. He has worked as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) since 2006 - a credential that denotes state licensure to provide professional mental health counseling - and has been a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) since 2002, reflecting specialized training in supporting people with physical disabilities and chronic health conditions. He combines clinical training with lived experience, having pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance on full scholarship at The Juilliard School before sustaining a spinal cord injury at age 20 that shaped his life and professional direction.

Following his injury he completed additional education, earning two degrees from New York University including a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2002, and later earning a Master of Social Work from Fordham University in 2007. Those academic and personal experiences inform his work with trauma, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, addiction, sleep and eating concerns, intimacy-related issues, parenting and anger, as well as compassion fatigue and coaching needs.

Over a fifteen-year tenure with a community-based Managed Long-Term Care organization he served as Director of Advocacy, helping adults with disabilities navigate supportive housing, benefits systems, vocational services, and government offices. He currently serves as an Advocacy Specialist with a Health Home organization, continuing that focus on systems-level support. His clinical style is motivational and collaborative, often using Motivational Interviewing to help people explore change, and he provides coaching and mentoring to people from varied backgrounds including Christians, LGBTQ+ individuals, and couples. Marcus works with international clients and conducts sessions through multiple remote formats.

Motivational and Rehabilitation Approaches for Online Care

Marcus Johnson commonly draws on Motivational Interviewing, a collaborative, goal-oriented method that helps people resolve ambivalence and build motivation for change; it is often used for addictions, behavior change, and readiness-related concerns. He also integrates rehabilitation counseling principles, which focus on helping people with physical disabilities or chronic conditions identify strengths, access services, and pursue meaningful community participation.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Marcus works with each person to explore needs, goals, and preferences and to tailor methods that fit their situation. That collaborative process helps determine whether brief coaching, motivational strategies, or longer-term counseling will be most helpful.

Online sessions are available through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These remote options make it easier to maintain continuity of care across locations and to fit support into busy lives while working with licensed professionals and therapists who can adapt approaches to remote formats.