Matt Johnson - Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

Phone: (303) 667-4563

Matt Johnson, MS, LMFT, Lic#1151

Locations:

Centennial - 6909 S. Holly Circle, 304, Centennial, CO. 80112

Specialty:

First and foremost, my passion and expertise lies within helping couples become closer and solve the riddles that create distance in their relationships. Over the years, I have targeted my education and training to be able to help couples identify exactly where the problems reside. Sometimes relationships simply need a few tweaks and sometimes they need surgery. Regardless, I will help you and your partner implement targeted skills that are intentionally applied based on your unique relationship needs. Not all relationships require the same treatment. I feel confident that together we will be able to help you find relief, build hope, and find a sustainable plan that allows you to grow and flourish in your relationship.

What will sessions be like?

I have been told that sessions with me are not what clients initially expected. For example, I like to laugh in sessions, and while we will definitely get work accomplished, we will find the humor along the way. I think the reason for my levity is that I work with a large caseload of clients and supervise other therapists. Needless to say, this means that I am exposed to a tremendous amount of emotion on a daily basis. My solution… “don’t take yourself so serious.” Life is painful, but we compound this pain if we hyper focus on what is wrong and ignore all that is right. (Fair warning, I do use a lot of sports references and metaphors.)

Other Specialties:

While working with couples is my specialty, I also have expertise in working with individuals and families. Specifically, I have worked for nearly a decade with at risk youth: teenagers who struggle with truancy, drugs and alcohol, self-esteem, and general direction. I often work with teenagers and their families to find what may be going on at a deeper/core level and targeting treatment based upon these findings.

In working with individuals, I often incorporate relationship skills. I’ve found, through the years, that our relationships and support systems, and how we get along with them, is one of the most indicative measurements of how happy we are. Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety often arise when we are unable to connect with those around us. Sometimes we feel isolated which further increases the presence of mental health issues. When we learn how to evaluate our own emotions and learn why things trigger us, we can then figure out ways to share this with safe people who love us. One of my favorite quotes (that I do believe I minted) is “Vulnerability breaks down walls, while confrontation builds them up.” I will work with you in finding ways to communicate effectively with others and/or help you discover why that may be difficult for you. A lot of times when we have a difficult time being vulnerable, it is because of pain and hurt from our past that is guiding our every move without us knowing.

If you are unsure if I am able to help you with your specific issue, please reach out and ask me. Chances are that if I cannot help, I will be able to find someone who will.

Education and Background:

Vanguard University of Southern California:

Master’s in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis on Marriage and Family

St. Cloud State University:

Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology, with a minor in Community Health

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of Colorado, Licence #1151

I am happily married to my wife of 13 years, and we have two daughters (one who just entered the daunted teenage years). As I am outnumbered by females in my home 3:1, I try to compensate by watching a lot of football and playing sports (no offense intended for you sporty ladies out there). I am a certified PADI scuba diver and have a love of being in the water. Some days I think it would be nice to relocate to the Caribbean and open a marriage retreat center, so I can scuba dive whenever I wish.

When I am at home, I refuse to be a therapist, to the chagrin of friends and neighbors who like some free advice, but to the cheers of my wife who had to endure the early years of my career and way too much unsolicited advice. As much as I enjoy being a therapist, you won’t find too many psychology books on my nightstand; instead I enjoy reading anything to do with sports, shocker right, and adventure novels. I am addicted to listening to books and have way too many podcasts in my queue for a normal human being.

Click here to access client portal