ABOUT COLE JOHNSON

I’m Cole Johnson and I am a marriage, family, and individual therapist and the owner of First Light Counseling in Omaha.

People have always told me that I am a good listener and that I‘m easy to talk to, but it wasn’t until I helped a dear friend of mine process the grief of losing his father that I realized I could put my strengths to work in the counseling field helping those around me.

For me, counseling isn’t just a job, it has become a calling. I see people everyday that are in pain or feel stuck in relationships they aren’t happy with and my heart goes out to them.

So, I went to Grace University in Omaha Nebraska for my bachelors in psychology and Mount Mercy University for my graduate degree in marriage and family therapy.

I have been described as a “consummate optimist” for my ability to find the silver lining in most any situation and I employ that attitude in therapy. While I won’t make light of your struggles or feed you empty platitudes, I will help you find hope and the small joys in life.

I know the hardest times in my life have had the greatest positive impact on me as a person and looking back, I am grateful for what I’ve been through. It doesn’t really help to say, “You’ll be glad for this later” when you’re in the thick of hard times, but it can be too easy to focus on the negative and lose sight of the things that are worth fighting for.

Family has always been important to me and it is the foundation of our society. That is why I decided to focus my education on couples and families. I work with a lot of individuals too, but I find that my background in marriage and family therapy helps me regardless of whom I work with because we all have a family, whether biological, adoptive, or of our own choosing, and that family has an influence on the people we are today.

In this field, I’ve seen the depths of human depravity, but also the incredible resilience of the human spirit.

I am constantly amazed by people’s ability to overcome all manner of difficulties and I feel honored to be a part of the healing process.

I’ve had my own struggles of depression and anxiety, among other things, and life can feel hopeless at times, but there is always hope. It may not feel that way when you are in the throes of a panic attack, in the darkest depths of depression, or when you just can’t stop fighting with your spouse and it feels like life will always be as bad as it is in that moment, but I’m here to tell you that your life can get better. It will take some work, but it’s worth it!

You’ve already taken the first step just by searching for help. Now take the next step and reach out. Seeking help may feel like admitting defeat, but it isn’t. It takes a great deal of courage admit that you need help and I admire anyone with that kind of strength. I’d love to help you find the life you’ve been searching for.