Brian D. Johnson, PhD & Laurie Berdahl, MD

Brian D. Johnson, PhD, grew up in rural South Dakota and received his PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Iowa. Formerly a professor at the University of Oklahoma, he is a licensed child and adolescent psychologist, parenting expert, and full professor of counseling psychology at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) where he has served as training director of the doctoral program. Counseling youth and their families for over twenty years, he became Director of the Psychological Services Clinic in 2015 and brought a mentorship program for at-risk youth including those on probation to UNC in collaboration with the Weld County District Attorney’s office. This is his second book with wife Dr. Laurie Berdahl; their first award-winning book is 7 Skills for Parenting Success.

Laurie Berdahl, MD, grew up in the inner cities of Milwaukee and Denver. With a background in genetic research, she received her MD from the University of Iowa, and completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center after which she entered private practice in Colorado. Sharing her husband’s passionate interest in parenting, she has published articles in Medical Economics and Parenting: Science and Practice. She and Dr. Johnson are proud parents of their two adult children. In 2014, she retired from medical practice after almost twenty years due to developing a permanently disabling neuromuscular condition. She continues to write and speak on issues related to parenting and adolescent wellness.