Karen Johnson

Karen O. Johnson, M.Ed. began grief group counseling in 1981 with ten teens experiencing the death of a parent. Since then, she has worked with a large population of youth, families, and adults coping with loss as an individual and group counselor. Over the span of 35 years in the education industry, she has held various positions in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education including: teacher, counselor, principal, crisis team member and director and crisis line counselor and director in the Jordan, Murray, and Salt Lake School Districts in Utah, and the Texas Independent School District. Currently, Karen is the Area Chair, Lead Faculty in the Social Sciences Human Services Program at the University of Phoenix. Karen is also the founder of EveryDayGrief, LLC, a company offering seminars for helping professionals, where innovative techniques are shared to positively impact the grief journey of youth and adults. Along with counselor trainings, she runs grief support groups.

Articles:

Flavorless Holidays

  Despite the loss in your life, the wondering how you can bear the changes, and the dread of the approaching Holidays – they come anyway. The flavor of “Season […]

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Next to Cancer, Next to Normal

The insidious intruder that never leaves is cancer.  It is pesky, sneaky, invisible, and it works aimlessly to kill and bankrupt you.  The strangle of cancer (never to be capitalized […]

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Underwater at the Cancer Diagnosis

I could see his lips moving and his eyes penetrating but I felt like I was swimming underwater.  The muffled sounds seemed far away and the x-ray the doctor was […]

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‘Honest Grief’ Helps 10-Year-Old Deal With Grandpa’s Death

I was ten, playing with my friend across the street from Grandma and Grandpa’s bungalow.  I was so grown-up now. I  got to ride the bus ALL ALONE  to visit, […]

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Cupid’s Wayward Arrow: Break-Up Spurs Grief

February is nauseating. Though sweat mixed with tears can feel exhilarating, I had to stop. I sat down on the ground, exhausted; my arm simply could not toss the 49th […]

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A Letter to Elizabeth and John Edwards’ Children

Dear Children: It is with great sadness to hear of your beloved mother’s death.  No matter what age, to have a parent die is a difficult happening and the beginning […]

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Welcome Mat for Grief in the School Counselor’s Office

I had my back to my office door as I was pounding away on the computer, writing parent permission letters to attend a grief group.  After sensing a presence, I […]

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