Dionna Smith-Johnson , LCMHC

Dionna Smith-Johnson is a licensed clinical mental health counselor practicing in North Carolina. She has three years of clinical experience helping people facing depression, anxiety, addictions, grief, and major life changes. Dionna focuses on steady, practical support so people can manage day-to-day stress and rebuild a sense of direction.

Her sessions are straightforward and warm. She listens closely, helps people name what feels hard, and works with them to set small, doable goals. Dionna keeps language simple and uses tools people can try between sessions.

Many clients come with relationship strain, caregiver stress, or trouble coping after loss. She also supports people dealing with substance use concerns, mood shifts, obsessive thoughts, and feelings of emptiness or isolation. Dionna pays attention to how those struggles affect everyday routines and roles.

Her approach mixes client-centered listening with practical techniques drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy. That means the work can include understanding current patterns, testing small changes, and practicing new responses to old triggers. Dionna helps people spot unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors to feel more in control.

She aims to create an affirming, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore guilt, shame, or questions about life purpose. Sessions also cover communication skills and ways to navigate difficult family or partner issues. Dionna supports those coping with end-of-life concerns and stresses related to military service without assuming a one-size-fits-all plan.

How Client-Centered Care and CBT Work Online

Dionna draws from client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in online sessions. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and helping people find their own answers through a trusting relationship. It is useful for processing emotions, building self-compassion, and exploring life purpose.

CBT involves identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety, low mood, or compulsive habits. In sessions that use CBT, clients learn practical skills, try experiments between meetings, and track small changes in how they feel and act.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Dionna will discuss goals and preferences with each person and choose methods together. She adapts the mix of listening and skill-building based on what feels most helpful for the person's situation.

Online therapy offers flexibility with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and teaching exercises, phone calls can be a simpler way to check in, and live chat or messaging can fit quick updates or shorter check-ins during a busy day. These options make it easier to schedule consistent sessions and to use therapeutic tools between meetings.