Rick Johnson, PhD, is a professor in the Counselor Education Department. He previously served as department chair for nine years. Prior to PSU, Dr. Johnson was an assistant/associate professor at Montana State University. His research and scholarly agenda focuses on family systems theory and the effects of family experiences on psychosocial development in adolescence and adulthood. He has published two books, Spirituality in Counseling and Psychotherapy (2013), and Reclaiming Your Real Self: A Psychological and Spiritual Integration (2009).
In addition to his work at PSU, Dr. Johnson maintains an active private practice, focusing on couples and family therapy, as well as individual adult psychotherapy. His theoretical orientation is an integration of family systems, relational psychodynamic, and humanistic/existential. Areas of clinical expertise include relational issues, divorce, childhood trauma, family addiction issues, depression, anxiety, and spirituality. He is a licensed psychologist in Oregon and a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.