Rewiring Trauma Responses Through Critical Memory Integration: Estefana Johnson

Join us on the Mental Health Today Show as John Cordray welcomes Estefana Johnson, a licensed clinical social worker, to discuss the transformative power of Critical Memory Integration (CMI) in rewiring trauma responses.

Estefana shares her personal experiences with childhood adversity and how they led her to develop CMI, a therapeutic approach that prioritizes integration over desensitization. Discover how CMI helps individuals connect with their authentic selves, offering a path to healing that acknowledges the complexity of trauma beyond traditional definitions.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in innovative approaches to mental health and personal development.

More about Estefana:

Estefana Johnson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and experienced trauma therapist with over two decades of experience in mental health. She began her career in 2001 as a Behavioral Health Technician, briefly stepping away in 2005 to teach in Japan. Her diverse background spans multiple roles and settings, including residential treatment for at-risk youth and medical social work, giving her a well-rounded perspective on mental health care.

As the Director of Clinical Training for ARISE Alliance Institute, Estefana Johnson oversees the professional development and training of clinicians on Critical Memory Integration (CMI™). Her role involves designing and implementing comprehensive training curricula for mental health professionals to enhance clinical skills, particularly in trauma-focused care, PTSD treatment, and therapeutic interventions. Estefana also develops and delivers trauma-informed programming tailored to the needs of at-risk populations, bringing these services directly into community-based settings to ensure accessible, responsive care where it’s needed most.

She is currently a practicing clinician and Dosing Session Monitor at Lighthouse Psychiatry and TMS in Gilbert, Arizona, contributing both to clinical care and research trials exploring the therapeutic use of psychedelics.

Estefana’s work in community mental health, coupled with her personal experiences as a first-generation child of immigrants, has deeply influenced her therapeutic approach. Passionate about supporting foster and adoptive children, Estefana serves as Lead Volunteer, Board Member, and Clinical Director for ASA Now, a nonprofit organization that provides critical assistance, support, and advocacy for foster and adoptive children and their families. Her role with ASA extends to Shade Tree Academy, a therapeutic school designed for children impacted by foster care and adoption who have not thrived in traditional school settings. There, she provides trauma-informed staff training and has contributed to program development to support healing-centered education.

With a commitment to education, advocacy, and compassionate care, Johnson continues to make a lasting impact in the mental health field and in the communities she serves.

Learn more about CTI here:

https://arisealliance.org/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5MyzV9KBg0eJ0uY88N-zCw https://www.instagram.com/ariseallianceinstitute/ https://www.facebook.com/AriseAllianceInstitute/

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