Inspiring Conversations with Kate Johnson of Living in Freedom and Empowerment

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Johnson.

Hi Kate, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
When I was in high school, one of my creative writing class’s assignments was an autobiography. I still remember the first lines. “I was born. Whether or not that is of consequence is yet to be determined.” From that you can tell I did not have a high opinion of or belief in myself. That belief probably played in to marrying an abusive man at age 17 right after high school graduation. I stayed in that marriage for all the reasons women stay, including my three children. I’ve actually looked deep into this issue and have come up with my own theory of why women stay, but that’s for another day.

After 18 years of marriage, I started to fall apart. I was having panic attacks, sleeplessness, depression, PTSD and looked for help. It was so difficult to find someone to see me when I had little money and no insurance but finally found someone who would. I was looking for a Christian therapist, but since none would take what I could pay, I found a secular therapist. She helped me to begin looking at all my issues that brought me to where I was, from childhood sexual abuse to my then current abuse in marriage.

As I began to unpack my past and then current situation and begin healing, I realized I did not deserve to be in a marriage where I was not valued, respected, or safe. I made plans to leave with my sons, who were 7, 9, and 11 at the time. We moved to Homestead… five weeks before Hurricane Andrew hit when we lost most everything. We moved six times in the year following Andrew, finally getting into Section 8 housing and on food stamps. It was not an easy time. I look back now and wonder how did I survive? But I did.

I started earning my Bachelors degree is psychology which I completed in 1995 as a single mom with three sons. I began to work for the Department of Children and Families in Miami Dade because I wanted to help children who had experienced what I had experienced. From there I moved to the Guardian Ad Litem program as a supervisor. I realized it wasn’t enough as I really felt my mission was to help others who could not find help when they needed it. So I entered the graduate program for Counseling Psychology at Trinity International University and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2000. Who would have thought a girl with no confidence and little belief in herself would be able to do that? Certainly not me. I taught as this university for 25 years until it closed in 2024.

I became licensed as a Mental Health Counselor and started my private practice to be able to offer counseling at a reduced rate to those in need. I’ve done that for 25 years. One of my jobs was at Women in Distress of Broward County. I served at the shelter as the children’s and parent counselor, then at the outreach center working with men, women, and children, and finally as the Training Specialist to the community. I realized that more needed to be done to educate people on healthy relationships, self-worth, abuse across the lifespan, and how to help. In 2007, my husband (a really good one) and I started Living in Freedom and Empowerment (LiFE), a 501(c)3 nonprofit. I love teaching and speaking, so it is a natural fit for what I am doing now. I went back to school and earned my doctorate in Redemptive Leadership and Organizational Development from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary to be more prepared to lead this nonprofit.

Our mission is to educate, collaborate, and provide resources on living lives free of disrespect and abuse. I speak publicly on these issues, as well as provide community education to cities, groups, churches, and businesses locally, nationally, and even internationally. I still provide counseling as well as consulting to other counselors and businesses. I love facilitating healing groups using my book, Healing the Broken Places.

If we are ever going to stop the cycle of abuse, it will take much more education to the community and systems, especially systems that promote hierarchy and inequality. They can either help stop it or support it. Sadly, too often it is supported through silence or illiteracy on the issues. I want to change that. No more silence, no more violence.
I was born, and that is of consequence.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been so much more difficult than I thought it would be. The two biggest struggles are outreach and finances. In my naivete, I thought people would want to hear and help. Unfortunately, I’ve been proven wrong. It is often seen as not affecting them, or too messy, or not my concern, so getting people to listen and schedule trainings for their church or business has been difficult. I think it is also why raising money to support LiFE has been another struggle. And this struggle limits our outreach and accomplishments.

I guess because of my background I see the damage it does to our communities, families, and to individual lives. I just wish others saw the value I see.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Living in Freedom and Empowerment?
Professionally, I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, consultant, writer, educator, and advocate. I have a private practice, doing telehealth throughout Florida and in person counseling locally in N Lauderdale and surrounding areas. I’ve been published twice in Mutuality Magazine, winning two of their writing contests. One article was entitled A Bridge to Meaning and Ministry (Autumn 2010) and the other The Imprisonment of Spiritual Abuse (Fall 2019). I’ve written articles for Tamarac Talk and the Good News. One of my articles in Tamarac Talk was A System That Failed—The Tragic Murders of Mary Gingles, Her Father, and a Brave Neighbor (March 10, 2025) after the tragic domestic violence murders in that city.

I have a self-published book, Healing the Broken Places, soon to be up on Amazon. It has been ordered and used nationally and internationally to help individuals heal from domestic abuse.

I was honored with the City of Tamarac 2024 Trailblazing Phenomenal Woman Award for my advocacy and contributions.

My passion is to teach, educate, advocate and speak on topics that will make life better for all individuals. That includes fighting for and promoting equality between men and women. I love what I do.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I’ve learned many lessons along the way: life is hard, never give up, God’s got this, and I have value. In the end, the most important lesson is that my life is of consequence. When you’ve never felt that, when you felt stupid all your life, and come to realize you have helped people change, find freedom and be empowered, and that you have a voice to use, and that you have influenced other lives for the better, it has meaning. I have a purpose. My life verse is Genesis 50:20, “what you meant for evil, God meant for good… to save many lives.” (paraphrased). That was my biggest lesson. It drives me forward to keep doing what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lifeabundantlyfree.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiFE5020
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kate-johnson-lmhc-34b37615/
• Other: https://www.ccada.org