Johnny has been working in the field of social and emotional skill-building for children, adolescents, and young adults since the early 2000s. He currently works as a mental health counselor specializing in adolescents and young adults. Additionally, Johnny is an affiliate professor at Antioch University Seattle’s Masters in Counseling program. He is also the developer and manager of a program that uses online games to facilitate social flourishing groups within the Game to Grow organization. Johnny’s work focuses primarily on neurodivergence and developmental well-being, with a particular emphasis on treating common struggles like anxiety and depression in both typical and atypical development.
- University of Seattle – BA in Psychology
- Antioch University – MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Education and learning is a work of passion, intentionality, and investment in the future. My teaching philosophy takes its roots in Person-Centered and Feminist approaches, focusing on a sharing of power and unconditional positive regard. It is my belief that collaboration between student and instructor leads to a deeper understanding of the material being taught and also empowers the student to invest in their own learning and methods of change. The goal is a co-created experience that leads to a foundational understanding of the topic being taught, along with each person’s individual relationship to that knowledge. Supporting the fundamental aspects of co-created learning is a trust in the principles of authenticity and autonomy: I trust my students to know their own learning styles and apply themselves to the educational process in a manner that best fits their neurological and phenomenological experiences while maintaining a focus on the goals of any particular learning experience. Towards this end, I strive to continually expand my approach to teaching in a manner that can incorporate as many diverse learning experiences as possible.
- Kilmer E, Spangler J, Kilmer J. (2023) Therapeutically applied Minecraft groups with neurodivergent youth. F1000Research 2023, 12:216 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.129090.1)
- Communication and Counseling Skills
- Advanced Communication and Counseling Skills
- Ethics and Professional Issues
- Family of Origin