Dr. Amalyssa Johnson is a native to Sugar Land, Texas. She was born in Richmond, Texas and grew up in Fort Bend County Schools. She graduated from Kempner High School and went on to get her Bachelor of Arts from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas in 2001. Dr. Johnson earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Texas Tech University in 2003 and graduated with her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Texas Tech University in 2006. She completed her post-doctoral work at Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD) Department of Psychological Services.
Previously Dr. Johnson has worked as a Staff Psychologist for CFISD where she was responsible for the assessment and delivery of counseling services for 5 campuses (1 high school, 1 middle and 3 elementary schools in the district). In 2008, she and her family relocated to Abilene, Texas where Dr. Johnson started private practice work. Dr. Johnson focused her private practice on the assessment and treatment of clinical disorders in children and teenagers including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), reactive attachment disorder (RAD), anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression. While in Abilene she quickly developed a niche for working with neurodiverse individuals with autism. Dr. Johnson also has had great success working with adult women struggling with anxiety, depression, or life transitions. In 2012, Dr. Johnson relocated with her family to her husband’s childhood farm near Rochester, Minnesota. There she quickly gained recognition for work in her areas of clinical expertise. Her referral sources included several departments from the world-renown Mayo Clinic including their Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Family Medicine, Community Health, Social Work, and Pediatrics; as well as all local school districts and other private practitioners in the community. Dr. Johnson was excited to finally move her practice back “home” to Sugar Land in 2019.
Dr. Johnson is trained in and primarily utilizes a cognitive-behavioral (CBT) approach to treatment. With those resistant to this type of treatment or those finding they are wanting something different; Dr. Johnson also ascribes to and is trained in acceptance-commitment therapy (ACT). She is well-versed in the Social Thinking® and Zones of Regulation® curriculums to support children and teens with ASD. When working with Dr. Johnson families can expect a collaborative approach in which parents are taught how to connect and be engaged with their children. Therapy goals and strategies are individualized to support each individual’s concerns while also nurturing their strengths. Presenting issues for treatment may include:
- Anxiety/Phobias
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Depression
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
- Social skills deficit