My name is Mbwana Johnson, and I have worked in the helping professions for the past 16 years. I hold master’s degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling and Health Services Administration, and I am a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor as well as a Master Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor.
Throughout my career, I have been employed by reputable organizations in both Niagara and Erie Counties, working across multiple departments that have enriched my experience as both a clinician and a leader. At Northpointe Council Inc., I served in various roles, including Substance Use Counselor, Young Adult Counselor, Youth Adult Drug Court Liaison, Behavioral Health Couples Therapist, and I piloted an initiative for at-risk youth with alumni engagement.
I later transitioned to Erie County Medical Center Corporation (ECMCC), where my journey included counseling in substance use outpatient, inpatient, and detoxification levels of care. I also assisted the Social Work department across all psychiatric units, including CPEP, Geriatric, and Adolescent units. Additionally, I took a part-time role at Kids Escaping Drugs as a counselor aide—a humbling and enlightening experience that deepened my understanding of addiction through the lives of resilient young men and women and their families.
After 10 years of service at ECMCC, I returned to Northpointe Council Inc.’s Niagara Falls Outpatient Clinic, this time as Program Director. I currently serve in the same role at their residential site, First Step Center, where I work closely with Northpointe’s two other outpatient clinics and community partners to ensure individuals receive the appropriate level of care.
I have mentored multiple interns throughout my tenure, most of whom were enrolled in the University at Buffalo’s Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling program and now serve in key institutions across Erie and Niagara Counties. I also serve on the University at Buffalo’s Rehabilitation Counseling Advisory Board and remain grateful for the opportunity to help others realize their potential.
Outside of work, my Zen comes from playing and coaching soccer. While I was never the best player at any given time, I pushed myself to achieve feats I never imagined. For example, I made a foreign-based training squad for the Trinidad and Tobago 2006 World Cup Team and, the following year, represented the U.S. National Amateur Soccer Team in Ireland.
“I have learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”
– Nelson ‘Madiba’ Mandela