Tara V. DeJohn, PhD, LCSW is an outpatient psychotherapist at Cardinal Counseling. Tara received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Master’s in Social Work, and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. She is a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW; 6610-C) in the state of Arkansas. Tara has worked across a broad range of settings, including medical & psychiatric hospitals, outpatient community-based programs for persons with chronic mental illnesses, residential programs for youth in foster care, private practice, and university settings.

Whether Tara was working as a pediatric oncology social worker, a psychotherapist, a professor, or an administrator, she remained committed to providing services that preserve every individual’s dignity and worth and challenged the status quo to improve agencies to be more inclusive and trauma informed. Tara has had the privilege of providing clinical supervision to over a dozen social workers who are successfully practicing in Arkansas, Louisiana, and other states.

Tara knows personally & professionally how important it is to address the realities of intersectionality and “othering” that are part of our society and how they can hinder experiencing a fully satisfying and fulfilling life, especially for people with non-binary identities across race, gender, sexual orientation, and faith practices. Tara believes it is important to collaborate with people and their support systems to learn how to be responsive (rather than reactive), especially for people with traumatic life experiences (known as a trauma-systems approach).

Commonly utilized therapeutic approaches include CBT, ACT, brief solutions-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, and person-centered therapy. I believe in the importance of working with (not for or fixing) individuals, couples, and families towards defining and achieving their goals. This same mindset of working with is the foundation I use for clinical supervision with social workers working towards obtaining their LCSW.

Tara will provide a space free of judgement, filled with patience & active listening to assist you in defining & achieving your goals related to improved mental/emotional health, relationships, coping skills, parenting skills, communication skills, and/or professional development.

On a personal note, Tara is married and has two children. In her free time, she enjoys the performing arts and volunteering for Ballet Arkansas. Tara also loves to travel, read, watch movies, play board & card games, and listen to a wide variety of music genres.