Today we’d like to introduce you to Carl Johnson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
How to put a life into words? I’ve experienced so much joy and so much heartache. I suppose that allows me to be really good at what I do. I can speak with first hand experience on many things such as: addiction, depression, marital issues, parenting issues, the loss of a child, church hurt, theological questions and many others. I filter my intellectual knowledge through my lens of experience and that seems to be a really good mix when it comes to helping people to heal. But how did I get here? I never expected to be in South Carolina honestly. I grew up for the most part in South Dakota. There are more cows than there are people in the state but I was still, in a sense, a city kid. I grew up in a neighborhood and rode my bike everywhere. My mother has/had some mental health struggles and that affected our family dynamic quite a bit. I had already seen a psychiatrist by the time I was 11. This was still a bit uncommon back then and came with a certain stigma but I really enjoyed talking to her. I also loved talking to my grandfather who was a pastor. I suppose that may have been when my journey toward being a counselor began but I certainly wasn’t aware of it. Unfortunately, it was also when my addiction to pornography began. Did you know that the addiction potential of pornography for men is essentially the same as crack-cocaine? It’s hard to admit, even when writing this, I have that worry in the back of my head of how people will perceive me but the truth is: it doesn’t matter. God allowed me to go through it so that I could help people out of it and I do all the time. You don’t even really know what you are seeing when you are 11, but it makes sense that my suicidal ideations would follow close behind. It wasn’t all dark for me though! I loved basketball and was good at it. I wanted to be a professional basketball player or a stockbroker when I was growing up. I certainly didn’t want to be an engineer like my dad (long story short, I graduated from the same school he did with a science degree). I fell in love when I turned 19. I had known Kellie Wendt since I was 9 and she was 11. I had tried to date her twice before (her dad wasn’t having it). Finally, when she turned 17, we could date and I was ready to propose after 6 months. I had to ask her dad three different times over the course of four months, but I finally got his blessing. My dad stayed up all night with me to make Christmas lights that said, “Marry Me Kellie” and I proposed to her on Christmas Eve of 2006. We got married right before my junior year of college, and my oldest daughter was born right before my senior year of college. I played college basketball (had my daughter in her carrier at practice at times), and did play some semi-pro ball for awhile but we had two kids at that point and it was time to get on with real life. I started out in industrial operations and safety but I was always interested more in what made people tick than machines. I felt like I needed to protect people (maybe due to my size? I am 6’10”). At this time I felt very overwhelmed and lost. I was really struggling with the weight of being a father and provider, I started turning to alcohol more and more. I was still fighting my battles with pornography too. I prayed a lot and felt God calling me to more structure and self-discipline. In March of 2014, with my wife’s support, I joined the Army National Guard. I moved to working for USACE (US Army Corps of Engineers) as an environmental specialist in 2015. I liked what I was doing but still felt called to more. In 2017, now with four kids, I decided to go back to school. The Army requires people to take an aptitude test prior to using their G.I. Bill (who knew that might help you find what you’re good at?). My test came out as pastoral counseling. I felt counseling was world’s away from engineering but I decided to give it a shot. I absolutely loved my classes and my internship with Rising Hope in Pierre, SD. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with my Masters from Liberty in 2020. This is where the story gets a bit crazy. With our five kids in tow, at the beginning of the pandemic, we moved back home to Rapid City, SD to pastor the church where we grew up. We even in moved into the church apartment for a time (yes with five kids). There was a lot of brokenness in the church and more brokenness in me than I was ready to admit. I learned a lot of humility during this season of life. Things did not go how we hoped. After a year, it was apparent that it was not a good fit for us or the church. I remember a difficult conversation with my dad: it was time to start over. I began searching for jobs with USACE again. That led us to South Carolina. Through much painful growth, self-reflection, the assistance of my wife and kids, our wonderful church family (Midtown-Lexington) and most importantly God, I found my way to Bridge of Hope and took the leap back into counseling. God provided an amazing opportunity to launch my business while still getting paid from the federal government (the deferred resignation program). I mostly work with Men (11 all the way to 90) and couples (marriage counseling is my favorite!) I am not a replacement for pastors or church families but an additional asset with specific training in Men’s Health, Marriage and Family systems. I have a little more leeway to “get in the mud” with my clients, so-to-speak, whereas clinical counseling is more lowering the ladder down to clients (both are needed and necessary!). It has been such a joy to be invited into my client’s healing journeys. I see over and over again that “God gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud.”-James 4:6
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have found that my own suffering has made me a much better counselor. From the struggles in my marriage to my battles with addiction (proudly two years sober from pornography, if you or someone you love is struggling, I’d love to help!), to my battles with depression (25 years of suicidal thoughts), God has used it all to truly be able to provide guidance without judgement. People know when they look in my eyes, I care for them, I have hope for them. If I can overcome, so can they.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love working with married couples. I understand why a lot of counselor’s shy away from it. It isn’t easy to counsel two people at the same time (or more if kids/family is involved). I think my basketball referee skills have been really helpful in that aspect 😉 I have done most of my research in this area. The differences between men and women are as vast as the similarities. We view the world through different lenses but love across differences is the greatest love. I am grateful to have had a lot of success in this area. I also love working with guys, particularly fathers, veterans, first responders and other pastors. These are the guys on the front lines of society and the weight weighs heavy. I think I’m good at helping them learn how to carry the burden well and rest when needed. I go above and beyond for my clients because I love what I do and I know God has called me to it.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
The marriage I have now makes me very happy. Kellie is a wonderful wife. We have been through hell and back and that makes me want to never give up. No one else will ever know the road I’ve traveled like she does. Similarly with my kids, they see my flaws but they love me anyway and crave my attention. There is no greater honor than having your child crawl into your lap or your teenager asking for a hug because you are their safety and calm. I am very grateful for my church family and pastors. I have rarely experienced such love, true love that calls you out, calls you to be what God made you to be and doesn’t run when things get hard. Finally, I am so thankful to my wonderful clients (you inspire me!), my director Paul Bishop, First Baptist of Lexington and the Bridge of Hope family for adopting me. It has been a wonderful experience and I am excited to see where it will go in the future!
Pricing:
- $70/hour (scholarships available)
- HSA/FSA reimbursable
- Ask about discounts
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cjohnson-counsel.clientsecure.me/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577352250146
- Other: https://www.lexingtonbridgeofhope.com/carl
