Dawn M. Johnson

Dr. Dawn M. Johnson is a Professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology at the University of Akron. She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky (2001) and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Brown University School of Medicine (2003), focused on clinical trials for PTSD. She has been affiliated with the Summa-Kent State Center for the Treatment and Study of Traumatic Stress and has led NIH-funded research projects since joining the University of Akron in 2008.

Her research focuses on trauma-related interventions, particularly for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), PTSD, and domestic violence shelter residents. She developed the HOPE treatment program, a CBT and empowerment-based therapy targeting PTSD in domestic violence shelters. Current projects include trauma-informed care planning in Summit County, HIV prevention for transgender women with IPV, and online interventions for perinatal women experiencing IPV.

• Co-PI: Trauma Informed Care Planning in Summit County (opioid-related services)
• Co-PI: HIV risk reduction intervention for transgender women with IPV
• Co-I: Computerized Intervention for Perinatal Women with IPV

Her scholarly work spans over 15 years, with publications in Psychology of Women Quarterly, Journal of Traumatic Stress, and Psychological Trauma. She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to address trauma, gender-based violence, and health disparities.