About Me

Chelsea Johnson (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Qualified Supervisor of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associates in North Carolina. She completed a 45-hour certificate program in clinical supervision at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Chelsea earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a minor in Family Studies from James Madison University and her Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Syracuse University.

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With over 13 years of experience, Chelsea specializes in working with relationships, individuals, and families within the LGBTQIA+ community. She is a lesbian-identified provider and practices within the standards of care set by WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) and ALGBTIC (Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling). Chelsea is an active member of WPATH and a Clinical Fellow Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Chelsea has completed a 12-hour training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (2022), Gottman Method Couples Therapy - Level 1 (2020), and over 100 hours in evidence-based trainings centered in clinical work with the LGBTQIA+ population. She additionally completed a 12-hour intensive LGBTQ-Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy training through the Yale LGBTQ Mental Health Initiative in 2024.

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Chelsea additionally founded Horizons Marriage & Family Therapy in Cary, NC in 2019 to create a community resource for LGBTQIA+ mental health. She believes in providing a safe space where clients can trust their therapist to understand their experiences without fear of discrimination or re-traumatization. Chelsea takes a non-hetero and non-cis-normative approach to treatment, tailoring goal development and skill-building to support her clients' unique needs. This continues to be her mission every day. In 2023, Chelsea created a podcast, "How to Survive the Apocalypse: A Queer Person's Guide to Living in America", as a greater call to action in supporting LGBQTIA+ mental health all over our country.

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In her therapy practice, Chelsea works with individuals aged 11 and up, addressing relationship challenges, gender identity exploration, neurodiverse partnerships, family dynamics related to gender identity and sexuality, and issues surrounding ethical non-monogamy and polyamory. She specializes in working with queer-identified youth and their parents to foster understanding and support. Chelsea employs systemic and family-centered approaches, incorporating Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) techniques when appropriate.

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Overall, Chelsea is dedicated to helping her clients explore their past experiences in a safe and supportive environment, empowering them to recognize their strengths and create positive change in their lives.

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Fun facts: Chelsea is a Scorpio who originally grew up in the Washington, DC area. When she isn't with her three children, she enjoys baking bread, fixing things in her home, cooking meals for others, and tending to her many plants.