Dr. Angela Johnson is a UC Berkeley, UCSF, and UCLA-trained clinical psychologist. She works closely with clients to ensure thorough, personalized, thoughtful, and evidence-based care that empowers children, adolescents, and adults to reach their optimal emotional, social, behavioral, psychological, and cognitive potential. She is focused on creating a caring environment in which clients and families feel supported, understood, and empowered.

Dr. Johnson specializes in psychological, cognitive-educational, social-emotional, and neuropsychological assessment and evidence-based therapy. She has expertise in evaluating, treating, and supporting a broad range of challenges, concerns, and goals. Dr. Johnson works with her clients from a systems and relational approach, utilizing evidence-based practices, and considering the influence of early experiences and social and cultural factors. In addition to evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy, Dr. Johnson provides play therapy and parent management training, elements of mindfulness, family systems therapy, and psychoeducation/developmental guidance. She also incorporates an understanding of neuroscience and current research, the influence of nutrition, and the important relationship between mental and physical health. She provides culture- and experience-responsive treatment for children, adolescents, adults, and families with diverse experiences. In parallel to her clinical experience, she has extensive research experience in examining sociocultural, family, and biological processes influencing mental health and adjustment throughout the lifespan, in diverse populations, immigrant communities, and families who have experienced interruptions in caregiving (e.g., foster care, adoption, separation).

A California native, Dr. Johnson graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Psychology at UCLA, and a Master’s Degree in Psychology and PhD in Psychology, Clinical Science at UC Berkeley. Dr. Johnson completed her American Psychological Association-accredited pre-doctoral internship and clinical psychology fellowship at UCSF in the Department of Psychiatry. She has also worked extensively with children, adolescents, and adults with histories of trauma at UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital. Outside of her clinical practice, Dr. Johnson is a lecturer in the department of psychology at UC Berkeley, and has published her scientific research in peer-reviewed psychology journals. She has presented her work at national conferences as well as at UC Berkeley, UCLA, and Stanford University.

Dr. Johnson’s approach to psychological assessment involves:

• • working closely, collaboratively, and ethically with clients, families, and referral sources;
  • creating a caring environment in which clients and families feel supported,  understood, and empowered;
  • using applied science and evidence-based methods to provide a clear, comprehensive, and personalized understanding of each client’s cognitive, behavioral, and social-emotional functioning;
  • clarifying diagnoses, when indicated, in order to facilitate appropriate treatment;
  • providing thoughtful, practical, and actionable recommendations for treatment and intervention;
  • emphasizing and leveraging each client’s strengths while addressing areas of difficulty in order to maximize their growth and success across settings;
  • delivering consistently high-quality care in a timely and sensitive manner.

Dr.Johnson provides comprehensive psychological assessment services in the following areas:

Cognitive-Educational/Academic
• Specialized assessments for academic/learning difficulties and special needs within the classroom and on tests.
• Expertise in evaluating children and adults with learning disorders (e.g., dyslexia), or for whom attentional or behavioral challenges make learning difficult.
• Dr. Johnson provides consultation for IEP meetings.

Psychological/Social-Emotional
• Diagnostic assessments for youth and adults experiencing a wide range of psychological, emotional, and behavioral challenges.
• Emphasis on diagnostic clarification and impact of mood on thinking and learning.
• Dr. Johnson has experience working with youth and adults struggling with family issues (e.g., adoption, divorce), with sociocultural issues (e.g., ethnic identity, bias, discrimination, stigma), and trauma.

Neuropsychological/Cognitive
• Cognitive testing (e.g., IQ/intellectual functioning, attention, executive functioning, learning/memory, language).
• Integration of established brain science and cutting-edge research with each client’s unique developmental and medical history.

Dr. Johnson also offers:
Early Childhood Development Evaluations
With early diagnosis and intervention of developmental delays and disabilities, a child’s chances for social and academic success can be greatly improved. Additionally, early childhood evaluations allow parents to identify a child’s strengths as well as areas for opportunity to provide additional support.

Testing to identify potential delays in children ages 0 to 5½ years old, focusing on the following areas:

• Early cognitive skills, such as problem solving, visual preference, memory, sensorimotor skills, manipulation, and concept formation
• Age-appropriate receptive and expressive language skills
• Fine and motor gross skills
• Age-appropriate social-emotional, communication, and self-regulation skills
• Adaptive behavior such as listening, understanding, and developing relationships with others
• Providing thoughtful, practical, and actionable recommendations for treatment and intervention related to developmental delays or areas of concern
• Emphasizing and leveraging child’s strengths while addressing challenge areas

Dr. Johnson’s Education/Training:
APA-Accredited Clinical Fellowship and Pre-Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology,
UCSF Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry
PhD in Clinical Science/Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
MA in Clinical Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
BA with Honors in Psychology, Summa Cum Laude, UCLA