Meet Brittany Johnson, LCPC

We recently connected with Brittany Johnson, LCPC and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brittany , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Purpose is such a layered, evolving concept. For me, it hasn’t been a single “aha” moment or clear-cut destination. It’s been more of a gentle unfolding. I’ve come to see purpose not as something you chase, but something you grow and lean into, season by season, as you become more of who you truly are. It’s a gift, waiting to be unwrapped — layer by layer.

I’ve always been drawn to creating safe, nurturing spaces. I’ve felt a quiet pull to be a soft landing for people who feel displaced, alone, misunderstood, or disconnected from themselves and others. That pull deepened after I lost my mother as a teenager. Grief became one of my greatest teachers and anchors — opening me up to the depths of love, compassion, forgiveness, and the ongoing work of healing. I remember feeling so confused and untethered in those early years after her passing. But I also remember becoming deeply curious about life. About why we’re here. About what it really means to feel whole, connected, and alive. I became keenly aware of the fragility of the human existence and experience.

Over time, that curiosity evolved into a commitment. I became invested in emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness — not just for myself, but for others too. I wanted to understand what it takes to live a life that feels meaningful, creative, soft, and true. And more than anything, I wanted to support others in doing the same — in finding or creating spaces where they could feel most loved, seen, held, and affirmed.

My mother’s early passing; rooted in unprocessed trauma and emotional pain; instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility. A desire to break cycles. To live more intentionally. To care more deeply — for myself and for the people and spaces I touch.
In this season, my purpose looks like running a private mental health practice — a sacred, restorative space for Black women who are learning to lay down their burdens and choose ease, flow, and healing. It looks like being present in my village — as an aunt, a sister, a daughter, a friend. It looks like creating a life of fulfillment, where rest, joy, and play are just as important as work and service.

I know my definition of purpose will keep evolving as I do. But what will always remain at the center is this: a calling to be a space of love. Of gentleness. Of care. First for myself, and then for the world around me.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Professionally, I’m a licensed psychotherapist and the founder of Heal and Restore Counseling, a virtual private therapy practice created with Black women in mind and at heart. My work is centered on helping high-achieving, deeply caring Black women come home to themselves. To soften, to unpack what no longer serves them, and to reclaim their right to rest, wholeness, and joy. I specialize in supporting women who have spent much of their lives prioritizing others, often at the expense of their own needs. Through holistic, evidence-based care, I walk alongside my clients as they grow in self-trust, deepen their boundaries, and reconnect to their inner voice.

What makes this work so special to me is that it’s deeply personal. It’s rooted in lived experience, ancestral wisdom, and the belief that healing doesn’t have to be harsh or heavy. That it can be spacious, gentle, even beautiful. I’ve seen firsthand the transformation that happens when Black women are given permission to release survival mode and embrace softness, clarity, and confidence. That’s what excites me every single day.

Beyond therapy, I also lead journaling and wellness spaces, and I’m in the process of expanding The Wellness Journaling Collective — a therapist-led intentional journaling space for Black women that blends reflection, emotional self-care, and healing community. It’s a sacred space where we write, breathe, and begin again — together.

At my core, I believe we all deserve to live lives that feel nourishing and aligned. And through my work, I hope to continue creating spaces that remind Black women they are worthy of that kind of life. Not someday, but right now.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, three qualities that have been most meaningful in my journey are flexibility, endurance, and self-compassion. These weren’t traits I figured out overnight — they were slowly and lovingly cultivated, often through seasons of uncertainty, stretching, and growth. I’m still evolving with each on a daily basis.

Flexibility has allowed me to release my grip on how things were “supposed” to go and trust how they were meant to unfold. I used to think fulfillment and achievement required rigid structure and strict timelines, but I’ve learned that purpose has its own pace. Being flexible gave me space to evolve, to pivot with grace, and to follow where I felt most called — even when it didn’t look like what I originally envisioned.

Endurance has helped me to keep going when the path feels long or unclear. There were moments where things felt heavy — balancing personal healing, building a heart-led business, and showing up for others. But I learned that endurance isn’t about pushing through nonstop. It’s about holding on to your why, knowing when to rest, and trusting that small, consistent steps still move you forward.

And self-compassion has been the most tender and transformative part of my journey. As a recovering perfectionist and people-pleaser, I’ve had to unlearn the belief that I have to constantly prove my worth. Self-compassion reminds me that I can be in the midst of growing and still be gentle with myself. That it’s okay for me to have boundaries and prioritize my needs, first. It’s the voice that whispers, “you’re doing your best,” even when things feel messy or undone. It’s what keeps me grounded and allows me to pour into others without emptying myself.

For those early in their journey, I would offer this: be kind with yourself as you grow. Let your path shift. Allow rest. And trust that even when it feels slow or uncertain, you are still moving forward. You don’t have to have it all figured out to be worthy of the vision on your heart. Start where you are, and let grace meet you there.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

One book that has truly shaped my healing journey, both personally and professionally, is Homecoming by Dr. Thema Bryant. Reading it felt like being gently reminded of who I’ve always been beneath the noise, expectations, and survival patterns. Her words hold such warmth and truth, and they speak directly to my soul and some of the experiences as I have been learning to return home to myself with tenderness.

What I love most about Homecoming is that it doesn’t rush the process. It invites you to slow down, to listen inward, and to reclaim all the parts of yourself that you may have abandoned in order to belong, to succeed, or to simply make it through. The book is full of wisdom, but one quote that continues to stay with me is:

“You are not too much. You have just been giving yourself to people who are too little.”

That line alone cracked something open in me. It was a much needed reminder that I am not too sensitive, too emotional, too expressive, or too complex. I am simply learning to reserve my energy for spaces and relationships that can hold the fullness of who I am.

Dr. Thema’s work affirmed for me that healing is not just about letting go of pain, but about coming home — to your voice, your body, your joy, your power, and your truth. Homecoming reminds us that our wholeness was never lost — just buried under layers of striving and self-sacrifice. And we are allowed to return to it, one gentle step at a time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://healrestorecounseling.com
• Instagram: @healrestorecounseling
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyjohnsonlpc/

Image Credits

Janae Johnson