- CBT strategies
- Mindfulness tools
- Trauma processing
About Johanna
Johanna Westin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Illinois with 15 years of experience as a therapist. She focuses on issues such as trauma, stress, anxiety, anger, relationship and family concerns, and parenting. Johanna has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings and offers individual, family, and group therapy in those roles.
Her style is down to earth and laid back. She values a straightforward relationship with the people she sees and places practical conversations at the center of work. Sessions include talking through current problems, identifying skills to manage strong feelings, and setting small goals to test changes between meetings.
Johanna uses approaches that emphasize the client's perspective and present-moment coping. She draws on client-centered work to prioritize what the client brings to sessions. She also uses cognitive behavioral strategies to notice thinking patterns and test new responses in everyday life.
For people dealing with anger, Johanna focuses on what happens in interactions. She helps clients spot triggers, practice calming skills, and try communication techniques that reduce escalation. She also addresses related concerns like guilt, shame, grief, and stress that can feed into angry reactions.
Her background includes trauma work and therapies that help process difficult memories. Johanna integrates mindfulness and grounding tools to manage intense emotions and uses methods designed to reduce the long-term impact of trauma. She encourages practical steps clients can use between sessions to track progress and build confidence.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the client's priorities. In sessions the therapist listens, reflects what matters to the client, and helps shape goals based on those concerns. This approach supports emotional topics like anger and relationship conflict by centering the client's perspective.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different responses. Online work can include practicing new thinking patterns, doing behavioral experiments between sessions, and reviewing what changed. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) brings concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication when anger feels overwhelming.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to decide which methods fit best based on the client’s goals and preferences. That decision can change over time as progress is tracked and needs shift.
Confirm current session formats before booking since the biography does not list specific online options. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy around work, family, or travel. They also allow for shorter check-ins when needed and for practicing skills in everyday settings without requiring extra travel time.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to anger?
She works with anger alongside stress, anxiety, trauma, relationship strain, parenting challenges, and grief.
What is her approach and therapy style?
Her style is down to earth and laid back. Work focuses on practical conversation, skill building, and small goals between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She has 15 years of experience working as a therapist in inpatient and outpatient settings.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an LCSW licensed in Illinois and practices with that credential.
Which languages are offered and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography notes experience in individual, family, and group therapy settings. Confirm current session options before booking.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.