Kristen Johnson

Kristen Johnson, LICSW, is an Associate Professor of Practice and On-Ground MSW Practicum Specialist in the School of Social Work at Simmons University. She first joined the Simmons community in Fall 2025 as a Practicum Liaison, supporting MSW students in connecting classroom learning with field-based experiences.

Johnson earned her Master of Social Work from Boston College, with a concentration in Clinical Practice with Children, Youth, and Families, and her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she concentrated in Culture, Organizations, and Institutions.

With more than a decade of experience across community-based, school-based, medical, higher-education, and counseling settings, Johnson’s career reflects a deep commitment to equity, access, and culturally responsive practice. Her professional background includes clinical work, supervision, and leadership in environments that center inclusion, relationship-building, and student development.

Before joining Simmons, Johnson served as Assistant Director and Training Director at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design’s Counseling and Wellness Center, where she oversaw a clinical training program rooted in social-justice and developmental frameworks. She has also taught at Boston University’s School of Social Work, where she instructed courses on clinical practice, group work, and brief treatment models. Her teaching emphasizes reflection, ethics, and the integration of theory with lived experience.

In addition to her academic work, Johnson maintains a private practice in Canton, Massachusetts, where she provides individual therapy, consultation, and clinical supervision. Her approach integrates experience, culture, and theory to support clients in meaningful and accessible ways.

Johnson is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and holds an Educator License as a School Social Worker/Adjustment Counselor in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Grounded in the belief that learning and growth are lifelong processes, Johnson strives to be both an asset to her community and a learner within it.

Education

MSW, Boston College School of Social Work
BA, Sociology, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Licenses/Certifications

• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Massachusetts Educator License, School Social Worker/Adjustment Counselor

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Massachusetts Chapter