Author: Dr. Monica Johnson
Dr. Monica Johnson
Dr. Monica Johnson is a clinical psychologist and owner of Kind Mind Psychology, a private practice in NYC that specializes in evidenced based approaches to treating a wide range of mental health issues (e.g. depression, anxiety, trauma, and personality disorders). Additionally, she has a focus on working with marginalized groups of people including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and alternative lifestyles to manage minority stress. She is also dedicated to contributing to her field professionally through speaking, training, supervision, and writing. She routinely speaks at conferences, provides training and workshops at organizations, supervises mental health trainees, and co-authored a book for professionals on addressing race-based stress in therapy. Dr. Johnson earned her bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina, completed her Psy.D. at the Arizona School of Professional Psychology, and completed her postdoctoral training year at Cherokee Health Systems in Knoxville, TN. She currently lives in Manhattan where she indulges in horror movies, sarcasm, and intentional introversion. You can find her on Instagram and online at kindmindpsych.com. Got a question that you'd like Dr. Johnson to answer on Savvy Psychologist? You can send her an email at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a voicemail for the Savvy Psychologist listener line by calling (929) 256-2191‬.
Have you ever wanted to bang your head on a wall and actually done it? Or secretly tried to cut away the pain of your existence? You’re not alone. Acts like this are considered Nonsuicidal Self-Injury. What is Nonsuicidal Self-Injury? Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, or NSSI, is intentional, self-inflicted, low-lethality bodily harm of a socially unacceptable nature, performed to reduce and/or communicate psychological distress. You might be thinking—“What the heck is socially acceptable self-injury?” As an example, some cultures engage in practices like scarification, which is considered to be socially acceptable. It’s also important to note that self-harm and suicidal behaviors are…
I’ve been following the news around Lizzo, and the sizeist and racist comments she has endured. Keeping it real and honest here, I was a proud fat and black woman myself until about two years ago. I’d been obese since before I could walk, my weight topping out at 417 lbs. So this is a topic that I relate to both personally and professionally to this topic, as many of my patients struggle with weight and body image issues. I’ve enjoyed seeing Lizzo being confident and happy in her body. I’m also disappointed that we live in a world where…
Have you ever worried about your safety? Missed potential red flags with a new partner? Been the victim of a con? Today we will address warning signs of a potential predator. The #metoo movement has been in the news lately with the release of Bill Cosby and New York City Governor Andrew Cuomo resigning his position after an investigation confirmed sexual harassment. It’s something that came up with many of my patients since the topic of victimization is, unfortunately, commonplace in my work as a psychologist. While much of what I do is dealing with the aftermath of trauma, I…
After reading the title of this episode, you might be thinking, “But I already know how to feel bad, Dr. Johnson. I came here to figure out how to feel good!” Hear me out. I recently saw Time Magazine’s cover of Naomi Osaka, and her quote was, “It’s O.K. not to be O.K.” I was inspired. I tell my patients all the time that it’s normal to feel bad sometimes, and what it’s really about is how we treat ourselves when we are not feeling our best. When it comes to our mental health, many of us take the approach…