Practitioner record · Checked 9 Oct 2026
Donna Johnson has been in practice 40 years and is licensed in New York. Donna lists stress, Anxiety, addictions and LGBT among 13 subjects on the BetterHelp roster.
Everything below is either quoted from Donna's own BetterHelp listing, taken from public licensing records, or written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such. Nothing here is an availability promise, a review, or a rating.
01 · Who Donna works with
Donna lists 5 specialisms and 8 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Donna chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.
02 · In Donna's own words
Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.
As a licensed therapist in New York, I bring four decades of compassionate clinical experience supporting individuals through complex emotional landscapes. My practice centers on helping clients navigate challenges related to depression, anxiety, self-esteem, substance use/addiction/dependency and life transitions with deep understanding and empathy.
I specialize in working with diverse communities, particularly supporting LGBTQ+ individuals and older adults seeking meaningful therapeutic connections. My approach honors each person's unique journey, focusing on themes of self-care, self-love, purpose, healing from past trauma, developing resilience, encouraging use of affirmations and helping individuals reach their unlimited potential.
My therapeutic work emphasizes understanding and harnessing the power of Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin and Endorphins in a variety of holistic activities. I leverage humor as a coping mechanism to build emotional resilience and gain perspective on life's challenges. My use of therapeutic humor helps clients reframe negative thought patterns and release tension. I am passionate about helping individuals develop stronger emotional skills, overcome isolation, and rediscover their inherent strength and potential. While embracing cultural competence and cultural humility.
Through collaborative and personalized counseling, I'm committed to walking alongside my clients as they transform difficult experiences into opportunities for profound personal healing, personal growth and self-discovery.
Donna Johnson, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026
03 · What happens next
Donna practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Donna's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.
BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Donna at this point.
BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Donna is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Donna.
You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.
A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.
Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.
04 · Before you commit
Built from what Donna actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Donna's - Donna has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.
“How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”
Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.
“With 40 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”
Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.
“How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”
On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.
05 · Practical details
06 · Provenance
Donna's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.
The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.
Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Donna. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.
Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.
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