Sarah Johansson

Recent Posts

Last Two Battlegrounds to Raise the Age: NY and NC

Posted by Sarah Johansson

Only two states remain that automatically charge 16-year-olds as adults

The need to raise the age of criminal responsibility has been written about here more than once. (Charging Juvenile Offenders as Adults parts one and two being two examples). Progress has been made, but our fight is not over. There are still two states left that prosecute and place children in the adult criminal-justice system—North Carolina and New York. 

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Topics: Juvenile Justice Reform

The Two Paths for Youth: College or Prison

Posted by Sarah Johansson

One MST supervisor’s call for treating our youth with empathy

When I tell new people what I do, I inevitably get “the face.” You know which one I’m talking about, the one that comes right before someone is going to disclose their disapproval of something. The face is most commonly followed by some version of “Well, they did a bad thing, and they need to be punished for their actions, right?”

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Topics: Juvenile Justice Reform

What to Expect When an MST Therapist Comes into Your Home

Posted by Sarah Johansson

Sometimes a stranger can bring great meaning to your life

If you’re a parent whose child is referred to Multisystemic Therapy, chances are you are wondering about the stranger being sent to your home. Thoughts running through your brain might include, who is this person, what is his or her clinical experience? Are they skilled enough to help with my child? Will this therapist judge or blame me? What makes this therapist and this program different from the other programs we’ve tried?

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy

How Multisystemic Therapy Empowers Families: A Therapist's View

Posted by Sarah Johansson

MST provides parents with the tools to build strong families

When I think about the kids I meet and the families who invite me into their homes, I think about the despair that no one should have to experience. These parents at some point lost the power, not only to their child who is acting up but to the system. If you have ever held the hand of someone who is fighting back the tears as the judge is preparing to announce the decision he or she has made about the child's future, you know what despair I'm talking about.

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Topics: MST Community