Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Crystal Mullen-Johnson wants to make history in her hometown.

On Friday, Nov. 1, she is returning to her native city of Demopolis to begin offering mental health counseling through her practice  Strive Counseling Services, LLC.

Mullen-Johnson is a second-generation business owner. Her father Charles Mullen owned a business in downtown Demopolis.

“So it’s just a source of pride for me to come back home and establish a mental health private practice in our city,” Mullen-Johnson said.

Mullen-Johnson has over 16 years of experience providing mental health counseling to individuals and families. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Private Independent Practitioner and a Registered Play Therapist. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master’s Degree in Social Work at Alabama A&M University.

She is the President/founder of Nurture of Alabama, LLC, a mental health nonprofit that provides mental health counseling and mental health support groups to historically marginalized communities.

A native of Demopolis, Mullen-Johnson While she enjoys serving in the community to promote change her true joys of life is her 15-year-old son, Ethan Johnson and her Labradoodle, Prince Johnson.

She has also published her book “The 21 Day Journey to Strive for a Healthier You.”

While there are some mental health services already available in the area, she believes there is a need for more mental health services in the community. She also wants to help change the narrative when it comes to the stigma around mental health.

“The stigma around mental health prevents people from seeking help that they need,” Mullen-Johnson said. “It impacts the community, and it leads to like unnecessary suffering and worsening of their mental health conditions.”

Mullen-Johnson said her practice is based in Birmingham and has a wide variety of therapists on staff to meet the needs of all people. That also includes having a bilingual Spanish-speaking therapist. She said she already has a few clients who do Telehealth with her firm.

Now, she wants to make sure that the people of Demopolis have the same access to that in-person care offered in Birmingham. The clinic located at 115 West Washington Street in downtown Demopolis will be open just one day a week on Fridays right now as she builds her client list in the area. However, Telehealth will be available every day. She said they take most insurances,

“My business has definitely grown, and I’m very proud because of what I’ve established here,” Mullen-Johnson said. “I can give back to my community because that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

One thing that Mullen-Johnson prides herself on is proving a safe, comfortable and confidential space for her clients.

“Confidentiality is important to me, and they never have to be concerned about their information being disclosed,” Mullen-Johnson said. “Privacy is something that I adhere to and uphold.”

It’s also more than just helping the mental health of Demopolis and Marengo County. She also wants to be a part of spurring growth in the local economy.

“I’m very excited about contributing to the economic growth in Demopolis because I plan to employ individuals, not only just to provide jobs, but also to provide much needed mental health services to bridge that gap to promote healing in our community,” Mullen-Johnson said.