Ian Nelson-Johnson, Psy.D.

Relationships are integral to my well-being, just as much as water or air. My relationships with self and others generate meaning and purpose, and impact the way in which I interact with the world. I find the more open I am to learning about myself -- an often uncomfortable and humbling process --  the greater capacity I have to understand and connect with others. Given this part of my personal identity, it make sense that I am drawn to Relational Cultural Theory, a relationally centered, culturally oriented style of therapy. I believe we have the greatest capacity to change when engaged in the process of developing and maintaining growth fostering relationships with other people. And such relationships are built on a bedrock of safety from contempt and shame as well as unconditional acceptance.

I deeply value the therapeutic relationship and see it as the vehicle for creating corrective emotional experiences. As I develop relationships with clients, I am paying attention to and/or addressing the following core relational areas: shared power (shift from power over or down position to power with), healthy conflict, active dialogue about boundaries, willingness to be authentic and show how I have been impacted by clients, and creating intentional space to explore how our multicultural identities impact relationships and treatment. My theoretical orientation comes to life in the room through Interpersonal Process. When appropriate, I try to live-in to the here and now as much as possible; that which is occurring in the moment for the client, myself, and between us.

While I have a very low excitement threshold, I genuinely love supervision. My supervisory experiences have been formative in continuing to shape my various identities. I strive to show up authentically with supervisees, both with my strengths and areas for continual growth. It is a privilege to walk alongside therapists as they grapple with creating their therapeutic style. Collaboratively, we will work together to find the edge of your comfort zone, where support meets challenge. This nuanced balance often leads me to inhabit three roles: part coach, part therapist, part case manager. These roles are quite fluid and depend on the supervisee’s developmental level and context.

Clinically, I am especially interested in the following areas: men’s issues, group counseling, interpersonal relationships, identity development, major life transitions, self-compassion, grief and loss, depression, spirituality, multicultural competency, and social justice.

When I am not working, I am passionate about engaging in the following: copious amounts of laughter and play, road and mountain biking, anything involving Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, live music, fútbol, Spikeball, yoga, collecting rocks, reading, camping, hiking, and meditation.