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 Greetings” is severely altered and not to your liking. My Mom died twenty years ago and my heart still twists when I hear Christmas Carols. Oh how she loved Christmas. Her children & grandchildren would gather round never knowing if she would be dressed like Mrs. Santa Claus or wearing a Santa hat and jingle bell necklace or some never-heard of Christmas game that she made up. But more than that […]

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 in my mind and heart) invaded him and tackled me and dumped us in the cancer club, and we daily paddle to embrace joy in a disheartening world that is vastly different than it used to be. We call it Living Next to Normal. Always wondering, waiting and semi-ready for the next curve, I have discovered a durability. I live the unthinkable, attempt to rest with the unforgettable, and acknowledge […]

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 pointing to had black spots on the tailbone, elbow, neck and rib. I drew myself above water and spoke, “Couldn’t they be arthritis?” and immediately delved backwards to the soundproof zone of denial. I needed gulps of fresh air, but my husband and the doctor seemed to be pantomiming a conversation with one another and the pointer in the physician’s hand kept tracking from one spot to another. Soon to […]

‘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, and it was a 3-hour trip! We were on the porch, and I looked up to see Grandma crashing out the back door, running toward the backyard. Without thinking, I hopped up, crossed the street yelling, “Grandma, what’s wrong?” I found Grandma kneeling over Grandpa, who had been in a very tall tree trimming the branches. I didn’t think much about Grandma going back in the house as I kneeled by Grandpa […]

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 raw egg into the cinder block wall in my backyard. Yolks were dripping down the fence; egg cartons were scattered on the lawn, and my fatigue, perspiration and waterfall of tears now sent my body to a lump of grief on the grass. I am a portrait of perspiration, agony, loneliness, disappointment and frustration. It was Valentine’s Day, my second one as formerly engaged. I always stroll down the garish […]

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 of a very different life without them. Though I was not fortunate enough to know your mom, I admired her ability to model grief. She was losing her health and her life while also grieving the loss of her marriage and husband. I am grateful to her for being a role model of grief. There are few. To those of you in school, maybe you could find a grief space […]

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 turned and saw a student standing there, somber, yet alert and extremely pensive. “Hi, I’m Mrs. J.” I smiled, staying seated, somehow believing it was best for him to remain in a taller position than I was at the moment. Silence bellowed, yet no movement from the student. His eyes went to the floor and his body seemed to invisibly shake. The unspoken words continued but the body of the […]

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