Biography
Resume

Biography

Janis Clark Johnston, Ed.D, holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from Boston University. She has worked as a school psychologist, a supervising psychologist at a mental health center, and a family therapist. In February, 1984, Johnston was awarded School Psychology Practitioner of the Year for Region 1 in Illinois for her innovative work. She was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Manchester University, Indiana in 2011.

Johnston has worked with children, families, and groups (ages 3-83) with the presenting issues of anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and relationship concerns. Johnston has led many staff development workshops for schools and industry on parenting/child development, assertiveness, discipline, problem solving, sexual abuse prevention, behavior disorder interventions, stress management, grieving,and retirement decision-making. A frequent presenter at national psychology and educational conferences, Johnston has published journal articles and two books.

In 2002, Sarah’s Inn, a domestic violence shelter and education center in Oak Park, Illinois, honored Johnston with a Community Spirit Award for her support of teen dating violence prevention/intervention programming for local high school students. An active supporter and consultant for Parenthesis, a not-for-profit parenting education center for teen, single, adoptive, preemie, postpartum, and mainstream parent groups, Johnston initiated a parenting lecture program for her community in 2003. She received the 2011 Founder’s Award in appreciation for her dedication to the mission of Parenthesis Family Center. She also has served on the boards of DePaul University Family Law Center, Parenthesis, and Oak Park Education Foundation, a community group augmenting public schools with creative programming.

Jan Johnston grew up in a small farming community in Indiana among a large extended family. Spending time on her paternal grandparents’ farm remains as one of her happy memories of childhood. Following her grandmother and father, Johnston has a green thumb; she became a Master Gardener in 2002 after studying at the Garfield Conservatory in Chicago. One of the lucky ones in life, Johnston enjoys a strong sense of her family roots.

Photo by Monte Gerlach