David approaches counseling from a holistic and wellness model. Using the interventions from a wide variety of counseling modalities and theories, he strives to highlight each client’s existing strengths and determination in order to facilitate client growth. This relationship-centered approach allows the client to recognize their emotional, relational, spiritual, cognitive, and physical realities. When a client knows his/her/their own truth, then typically they are more equipped to grow, develop and change. David highlights the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of the client in order that the client may better understand himself or herself. David attends to the clues provided by the client to help the client move more consistently towards healing and well-being.
Having been trained in research methods, David uses evidence-based skills and interventions to help clients achieve their goals. David has been trained in the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Person-Centered Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, and the Gottman’s Couple’s Method. He uses principles of these treatment modalities to provide the client with an individualized counseling experience that provides insight, understanding, and growth opportunities. David believes that human interactions are the key to growth, and that through neuroplasticity clients can learn from and adapt to new experiences. Simply stated, neuroplasticity is the brain's remarkable capacity to change and adapt. The brain is capable of adjusting and growing physiologically as a result of a client’s interactions with others, the self, and the environment. David’s therapeutic approach is to help facilitate new connections between brain cells to grow and reorganize thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that will aid the client to respond in a healthy and authentic manner to life’s demands.
David works with individuals to build better relationship skills, create enthusiasm for life, and self-compassion. David works with people to understand and holistically address life situations such as depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, sexuality, relational trauma, communication skills, couples and relationships, spirituality, addictions/substance abuse and dual diagnoses.
David also supervises clinicians, as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC) and having been trained at the doctorate level in supervision, he is qualified to supervise clinicians seeking supervision and consultation. Supervision and consultation can be arranged individually or in group sessions.
Since August 2022, David has been a full-time Teaching Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado: Colorado Springs (UCCS). He is a former adjunct faculty at Regis University. At UCCS, he teaches master’s level and undergraduate courses on Addiction and Recovery and Motivational Interviewing. Undergraduate courses on Wellness, Resilience, and Emotional Intelligence, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Substance Abuse and Recovery and Crisis Management. He has taught graduate courses on Spirituality, Couples and Family, Group Counseling, Human Growth and Development, Multicultural Counseling, and Theories of Counseling.
A published author, David has peer-reviewed articles about religion and spirituality, research poetry, spirituality and sexuality, and couple’s counseling. In addition, David has presented at National Conferences including, the Association for Humanistic Counseling, the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, National Conference on LGBT Equality, and the Episcopal Service Corps. Regional presentations have been at the Conference for Interdisciplinary Drug and Alcohol Research. University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Queer Symposium for the University of Colorado System, Colorado Counseling Association, Idaho Counseling Association Conference, Windcrest Corporation, Denver, CO, Touchstone Health Partners, Fort Collins, CO, Wellshire Presbyterian Church, Denver CO, St. John’s Cathedral, Denver CO, and St. Michael’s Cathedral, Boise ID.
Dr. David Johns is available for individual therapy and supervision. He can also provide lectures and workshops on a range of topics. Contact him at 303-642-6636 or [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> for a free 15-minute consultation.
