Exploring Life & Business with India Johnson, LCSW, LISW-CP of Echo Healing Therapeutic Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to India Johnson, LCSW, LISW-CP.

Hi India, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up as an only child in Plymouth, Michigan, raised by a single mother navigating poverty, I didn’t know it then, but life was meticulously, sometimes harshly, preparing me for my calling as a therapist. Our home held its own complexities – family dysfunction, the weight of high-control religious indoctrination, and the painful realities of loved ones wrestling with addiction and incarceration. In that environment, I developed a deep curiosity about the human experience. Seeking an outlet, I found the ice. Competitive figure skating became less about medals and more about a profound language of self-expression. It taught me discipline, resilience under pressure, and the undeniable connection between movement, emotion, and the physical self – lessons that would later become strong foundational pillars in my therapeutic practice.

By the time I entered the Social Work program at Adrian College, a powerful clarity emerged. My childhood wasn’t just a series of challenges to overcome; it was an unplanned immersion into the very human struggles I felt called to address. It forged within me an innate empathy, allowing me to meet others navigating their own adversity not from a place of clinical observation, but of genuine understanding. I realized I wasn’t just studying abstract concepts; I was learning the formal tools to help people whose challenges resonated deeply with my own lived tapestry of adversity. Graduating as the top senior in Social Work (2017) and earning a full-ride assistantship to the University of Georgia for my Master’s degree (completed in 2018) felt like equipping myself for a mission I was born to undertake.

In 2019, I made the decision to move across the country to Arizona to start my career, which plunged me into the heart of community mental health and residential substance abuse treatment. Working primarily with Native American populations and individuals recently released from incarceration, especially during the isolating crucible of the COVID-19 pandemic, was transformative and confronting. It was impossible to ignore the systemic machinery of suffering: witnessing firsthand how poverty, historical trauma, systemic racism, and lack of resources actively perpetuated the crises I was treating. Holding space for the most vulnerable within a system often stacked against them didn’t just deepen my clinical skills; it ignited a fierce commitment to equity and justice, cementing my political foundation and cultivating a passion for dismantling the oppressive systems causing the wounds I was attempting to bandage. This experience profoundly shaped my understanding that individual healing cannot be separated from the fight for a more just society.

Achieving independent licensure in 2022 led me to a private group practice. This chapter was a crucial education in the practicalities beyond the therapy room: navigating the complexities of running a practice, marketing, client retention, and, vitally, learning to lead and fiercely advocate for the rights of fellow clinicians working as contractors. It cultivated a powerful sense of empowered independence and clarified the kind of practice I wanted to build – one rooted in ethical care, advocacy, profound inner healing, and a broader commitment to fair systems.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 was a seismic shift, crystallizing a growing desire for change within me – not just politically, but geographically. A dream of moving abroad to Portugal (planned for early 2026), took firm hold within me. This dream, however, demanded a bold reimagining of my practice. Courage wasn’t just about moving continents; it was about leaping into the unknown professionally. In October 2024, I parted ways with the group practice and launched my own fully virtual private practice.

This wasn’t merely a logistical shift to telehealth; it was an intentional evolution. My virtual practice, serving clients across Arizona and South Carolina, allows me to be more accessible, breaking down geographical barriers. Fundamental to this practice is creating a sanctuary of radical inclusivity: I am proudly LGBTQIA2S+ affirming, polyamory-affirming, and kink-affirming. I specialize in guiding adults and couples navigating adult ADHD, complex trauma (including the often-overlooked religious trauma), and attachment/relationship issues. My approach is deeply aware of the body’s innate capacity for healing and transformation – integrating Somatic Experiencing, Polyvagal Theory, EMDR, Brainspotting, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment work, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and sex therapy-informed care. This somatic focus feels like a natural extension of those early lessons I learned on the ice about the body’s ability to hold stories, now channeled towards healing and liberation from internal and external systems of oppression.

Innovation is a key pillar of my work. Beyond traditional weekly sessions, I have expanded my practice to offer therapy intensives (80 minutes to 5 hours) for deep, focused work and conduct psychological evaluations supporting critical immigration cases – work inherently tied to challenging unjust systems and advocating for marginalized individuals in our tenuous political climate.

I recognize that my work as a therapist is inextricably linked to the politics of our society. Every session is an act of resistance – an effort to decolonize therapy practices, to decenter systems of exploitation and oppression, and to empower individuals within the context of a society that often seeks to marginalize them.

Looking back, the path reveals its purpose. My journey has been fiercely intentional, leading me here: to a practice built on empathy, forged in lived experience, expertise honed through rigorous study and advanced training, frontline experience, and an unwavering commitment to a healing practice that demands individual and collective liberation. I carry the resilience instilled in me, using it every day to help others find their strength and healing, no matter where in the world we connect.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My path hasn’t been without challenging obstacles. The complexities of my childhood – navigating poverty, family dysfunction, and high-control religion – were foundational challenges. Unfortunately, profound personal loss struck early in my adulthood: by the age of 23, I had lost both my mother and grandmother, my primary family pillars. At the same time, a career-ending injury devastated my professional skating career, leaving me without my primary outlet for self-expression during a season of foundational upheaval in my personal life. All of this served as a disorienting backdrop for me just as I began my career as a therapist, in a brand new state, thousands of miles away from what I once called home.

Professionally, I have been fortunate to have supportive, dedicated teams of therapists throughout my career that I am grateful now to call my close friends. However, my transition to private practice in 2024 was unexpectedly accelerated due to irreconcilable differences with my group practice’s administration over the critical ethical issue of client continuity of care upon my departure. Compounding this, the deeply troubling US political climate, while fueling valuable lessons, has been a source of ongoing personal distress.

I do my best to consciously channel this pain – alongside the lessons learned from personal loss and professional conflict – into my political activism and relentless advocacy for my clients, especially vital in these turbulent times.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Echo Healing Therapeutic Wellness ?
Echo Healing Therapeutic Wellness was born out of the idea that the past often echoes out to us, demanding a compassionate witness. That idea formed the core philosophy guiding my practice: the belief that our past experiences, even the painful ones, hold the potential to become the foundation for a truly authentic and empowered life. My work centers on helping adults and couples navigate the complexities that keep them feeling stuck – whether that’s the weight of complex trauma, religious trauma and spiritual deconstruction, persistent attachment wounds, or the unique challenges of adult ADHD and neurodivergence.

My work with clients is centered around a holistic journey that promotes embodiment and conscious living. I understand that the challenges my clients face exist within a broader context – their personal history, their nervous system, their relationships, and the broader systemic forces impacting their lives. We explore the patterns and cycles rooted in past experiences, utilizing body-based modalities like Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Polyvagal Theory. This approach helps individuals reconnect with their bodies, fostering a deeper sense of self-awareness and the ability to live more authentically.

To meet the diverse needs of my clients, my practice is structured to accommodate their healing: alongside traditional weekly sessions, I offer therapy intensives (ranging from 80 minutes to 5 hours) designed for deep, focused processing. I also provide psychological evaluations to support clients navigating immigration systems.

My practice is warm, real, and deeply human. I always like to tell my clients “All tears, fears and cheers are welcome here.” My clients and I laugh together, cry together and celebrate every step they take towards healing and growth. There’s usually a few curse words and crash outs involved in that process as well, but it’s all in the name of messy, authentic, transformation. Ultimately, my aim at Echo Healing Therapeutic Wellness is to create a space where my clients feel safe and seen as they confront difficult truths, shed the toxic patterns holding them back, and build the vibrant, unburdened lives they deserve – lives firmly rooted in their own authenticity.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I mentioned earlier that I was a professional figure skater. I was part of a professional synchronized skating team while I was attending Adrian College and we were Team USA for two years. I had the incredible opportunity of representing the United States in competition in Italy and Sweden which was a highlight of my skating career.

Additionally, I have a pet snake named Eerie who is going to be 5 years old this year and she is so sweet and I love her deeply. She loves to give kisses and steal my glasses off my face.

I love the outdoors – paddle boarding, hiking, camping, traveling, anything outdoors, even in the heat! I am also a huge film nerd. I feel like the art of film is one of the most immersive and profound mediums that allow us to reflect on our own human experiences while challenging our ability to empathize with other people through complex characters and world-building.

My heart for adventure and creativity have nurtured a curious spirit within me that allows me to connect with my clients as they explore the vast landscapes of their inner worlds and find the healing and transformation they are seeking.

Pricing:

• Weekly therapy session pricing: 50 min ($180), 80 min ($230) 110 min ($320)
• Therapy Intensives (Include an intake, Processing Session and a Follow Up Integration Session): 80 min ($590) 110 min ($680) 3 hour ($900) 4 hour ($1080) 5 hour ($1250)
• Immigration Evaluations: $1750 (Discount of $250 from now until November 2025)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://echohealingtherapy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echohealingtherapy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576538654086
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/india-johnson-echo-healing-therapy

Image Credits
Michelle McIntyre