Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Savannah Rose Johnson, CLC, RTT.P. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Savannah Rose thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)
Honestly, there is not a single sliver of summarizing, extraordinary advice I have given my clients other than the general approach I carry in my work: empowerment. I am not here to be bossy, pretend to be an expert on someone else’s life, or explicitly tell someone they need to “fix” themselves. No one is broken; everyone is human. What I truly give my clients is the freedom and permission to be their own hero, parent, boss, partner, cheerleader- you name it. I am a shepherd; I will protect, educate, guide, provide, and nurture; yet in my experience thus far, I have learned the greatest gift is riding alongside my clients: holding a safe space for them to operate. Not to do the driving or steering myself, but to look out for bumps in the road, navigate how to turn safely, advocate for them when the gas light emerges and they’re running on empty, or even just come along for the ride and explore. Becoming enveloped in a client’s support system is a delicate, sacred place to be, and one I feel so privileged to cherish as my profession.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My profession is more than a job for me. Service to others is very much my passion and purpose on Earth. I have the joy of co-managing Mental Wellness & Emotional Learning (MWEL), an affordable sliding-scale therapy program within Attento Counseling. Also with Attento Counseling, I am a Life Coach, Hypnosis Specialist, and involved in Marketing & HR leadership. With the Attento Ketamine Center, I am a Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Support Specialist and marketing leader.
Outside of private practice, I also serve as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Kennrod Incorporated, an educational nonprofit organization. I am also a volunteer book publishing mentor with Synergies Work, a nonprofit organization for people with disabilities. In addition, I also serve as an Autism Speaks Volunteer Advocacy Ambassador for the state of Georgia. On my website, I share interviews and publications I’ve created as additional means of producing global resources.
Any advice for managing a team?
When you are in a management position, you can either be a boss or be a leader. There’s overlap between these two roles, of course. The distinction I carry in my management style is to uplift, empower, and hold accountable. Working alongside my team as teammates and not just employees is essential. If I want something improved, I want to work together in curiosity about why it might not currently be working and find sustainable solutions that encourage overall personal as well as professional growth. My focus as a leader comes from a place of wanting others to fulfill their potential whilst protecting the mission of the company. When others see you care for them and want them to succeed, they will. Then, the whole team is winning.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
There’s a popular expression in the South: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Where it is important to be kind to others, this expression can be unkind to ourselves and just plain inauthentic. Over the years, I have learned the value assertiveness brings to life’s balance. Kindness is empty if it is destructive to ourselves. We do not have to live as emotional martyrs for the sake of others’ egos. We already give everyone else permission to act as they do and say what they want. Why do we police ourselves so severely? We must learn how to respect ourselves and be loyal to our experience. It is not an outlandish request to expect respect. It is our basic human right and we deserve to advocate for fair treatment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eclipseevolution.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eclipseevolutionllc/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannah-rose-johnson/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2nOCaOQ3wfGLi1JcjTxR2A
Image Credits
Event snapshots with Kennrod Incorporated, Oglethorpe University, and Synergies Work.