Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Jessica Johnson

Specialties: Psychiatry

Request an appointment New clients: call 218-451-2279

In network with Medical Assistance and five other plans

Sliding fee program

In person in Cloquet and Duluth, or by telehealth

Birch and Pine is accepting new clients

About

Seeking psychiatric care can feel vulnerable. I get that. But I've come to believe that vulnerability and bravery aren't opposites. Sometimes they're the exact same thing. Being trusted with that vulnerability is one of the greatest privileges of the work I do.
If you walk into my office, you don't need to have the right words, know exactly what's wrong, or have your life neatly packaged into a list of symptoms. That's my job to help you sort out. What I ask from you is honesty and authenticity, even when things are complicated, uncomfortable, or messy. You can expect the same from me.
I've spent 25 years in healthcare across a variety of roles and settings, with a significant part of my career dedicated to clinical leadership and mentoring. Those experiences have given me a unique view of mental healthcare, both from inside the treatment room and within the larger systems that profoundly affect the people I serve.
Somewhere along the way, I realized I was endlessly fascinated by the complexity of human beings: why we think the way we think, why we do the things we do, and what allows us to transform even after life has given us plenty of reasons not to.
Today, I'm a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner working primarily with adults. I provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and supportive therapeutic interventions. I have a particular interest in serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI), co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, and complex psychiatric presentations. My experience includes treating ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, and substance use disorders. The cases that don't fit neatly into a diagnostic box? Those are actually some of my favorites.
My approach combines evidence-based pharmacology with holistic care and a healthy dose of humanity. Medication can be an incredibly useful tool, but you're more than a diagnosis and a collection of neurotransmitters. I want to understand the biology and the person: your experiences, relationships, behaviors, environment, strengths, and all the beautifully complicated pieces that make you who you are. Treatment should fit the person, not require the person to fit the treatment.
That means I'll listen. I'll ask a ton of questions. I'll definitely ask why more than once. I'll meet you where you are and work with you to develop a plan that makes sense for the life you're actually going home to after our appointment. I'm curious, nonjudgmental, difficult to shock, and genuinely interested in understanding the whole person sitting across from me.
I'm also direct. I won't sugarcoat something simply because it's easier to hear. I'll challenge cognitive distortions, point out patterns, and occasionally say the thing neither of us particularly wants to say out loud. I believe compassion and accountability can, and should, exist in the same room. So can tears, laughter, dark humor, adult language, and the occasional well-timed sarcastic comment. Psychiatry doesn't have to feel sterile to be good medicine.
At the heart of my practice is a belief in the possibility of transformation, even when you can't quite see it for yourself yet. My role isn't to dictate what that transformation should look like. It's to understand where you are, help you figure out where you want to go, and bring everything I know to helping you get there.
When I'm not working, I'm usually learning something new (and inevitably getting sucked down a rabbit hole), traveling somewhere new (I've got itchy feet), or spending time with my husband, son, and our pets. Curiosity follows me outside the office, too, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Request an Appointment

Send Jessica a message

These forms are provided by SimplePractice, our client portal. What you enter goes straight to our office, not through this website.

How to Get Started

Step 1

Request an appointment

Request a time online or call 218-451-2279.

Step 2

Choose your clinician

Pick a clinician yourself, or send us a message and we will help you find one.

Step 3

Meet in person or by telehealth

See your clinician at our Cloquet or Duluth office, or by telehealth.

Request an appointment Call 218-451-2279

Insurance and Cost

In-network insurance

We are in network with Medical Assistance, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Health Partners, UCare, Optum and Cigna. If you have questions about coverage, please contact our office.

Sliding fee program

A sliding fee discount program for people with limited financial means, whether uninsured or underinsured. Eligibility is based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Know your cost first

If you are not using in-network insurance, you can request a Good Faith Estimate of your expected cost before scheduling any service.

Insurance and fees in detail

Services and Team

Our services Meet the whole team Where we see clients

Ready to Take the Next Step?

We are accepting new clients in Cloquet, Duluth and by telehealth.

Request an appointment Call 218-451-2279

In crisis? Call or text 988. For medical emergencies, call 911.