For T.J. Johnson, everything comes back to relationships—whether it’s with family, friends, teammates, clients or community.
That theme of connection is the through-line in every part of his journey. A successful therapist and founder of Powered Thru Purpose in Friendswood, Johnson specializes in counseling for teams and families, bringing a group-focused mindset that’s rooted in his own life story.
Gridiron beginnings
Johnson played defensive tackle and linebacker at Mississippi College, but admits academics didn’t come easily at first.
“I was a terrible student when I first got to college. Horrible,” he recalled. “To the point where my coach had to stand me up in front of the team and say, ‘This guy’s letting us down.’ After that, it was Dean’s List every semester.
“Being called out in that way changed my life.”
When it became clear the NFL wasn’t in his future, Johnson shifted. He left Mississippi to finish college closer to home (Texas State University). After earning a business degree, Johnson became a full-fledged member of Corporate America.
“Whether it was Fortune 500, small business or medium-sized business, I’ve pretty much seen it all,” said Johnson, who worked in that space for nearly a decade.
Turning point
But the corporate world didn’t sit right with him.
“You know that saying, ‘It’s not personal, it’s just business’? Never true. It wasn’t true, not one time. We bring into work what we have at home, and I was seeing that as just a business guy,” he explained.
That realization led him to ask hard questions.
“‘Is your calling doing spreadsheets? Do you want to be a CFO one day?’ My answer was no. I can do a mean spreadsheet, but it wasn’t my calling. It wasn’t my gift,” stated Johnson.
Still unsure of his path, Johnson turned to friends for advice. Their response was revealing.
`You’re pretty much everybody’s therapist,’ was the overwhelming and consistent response Johnson heard. Still, he was initially skeptical.
“I was like, ‘A therapist? I don’t know if y’all could tell, I’m a Black man.’ This was 2018. Therapy was not talked about in our groups. And I just didn’t see it as an avenue,” he recalled.
But conversations with therapists and professors shifted his perspective. The words of his very first graduate school professor sealed the deal: “Abandon all hope of having a better past.”
Johnson said, “I’d never heard anything like that. From there, I’ve just been hooked on therapy.”
Powered Thru Purpose
Today, Johnson leads Powered Thru Purpose, a practice rooted in group and family dynamics.
“We evolved to live in groups, to live in tribes. That’s where we really developed our emotional and relational sense as a species,” stated Johnson. “So, when I see teams and families, I view them as the same. A team is a group of people who have decided to come together to achieve a goal. And so are families, if we’re mindful of it.”
The approach has earned praise.
Client Jason Campbell said, “I can’t recommend TJ enough. He’s genuinely helped me break through mental blocks, stay focused under pressure and perform at my absolute best, both personally and professionally.”
Colleague Sydnee Michelle Madding called him “an absolute rockstar! Truly one of the most incredible people I’ve come across in the counseling field. He is both incredibly smart and kind, and has a genuine heart for serving others.”
Intern Linda Rodriguez added, “T.J. is the most thoughtful person I know, a true friend and an inspiring business owner with a heart for taking care of people. His genuine kindness and dedication to others set him apart in everything he does.”
Still grounded
Despite the accolades, Johnson remains grounded, crediting mentors like Dr. Allison Bates of the ALLICE Collective.
“Dr. Allison put me on game hard,” Johnson said. “I came in one time with a client who was recently incarcerated and went straight to the clinical route—‘Oh, he probably has PTSD, major depressive disorder.’ She said, ‘T.J., slow down. Tell me about who he is as a person. What may have caused some of these reactions? It’s great that you know the diagnosis, but know the person.’ That feedback really shaped the way I view therapy.”
Johnson also keeps close the wisdom of famed psychotherapist Carl Jung: “Know all the theories and techniques, but at the end of the day, when you’re with another human soul, be a human soul.”
A Black man in therapy
Johnson is mindful of his role as a Black man in the therapy space. His time at the ALLICE Collective sharpened his vision.
“As a Black man, being a part of an organization that focuses on Black individuals, I was able to see not only the need for connection, the need for spaces to have brotherhood and sisterhood and togetherness, but also the want, the desire,” he said. “There’s a narrative out there that Black people don’t want to be helped or don’t seek help. I don’t find that to be true. If you create the room, they almost flock to it. We want to connect because we’re human.”
Privilege of purpose
For Johnson, counseling is not just a profession—it’s a calling that demands humility.
“It’s a blessing. It’s a privilege. Maybe a privilege, even more so than a blessing. Because you’re in a space where someone is often in their most vulnerable state. It can be overwhelming at times. But if you get perspective on what’s going on, it is a gift and a privilege to hold that space for someone.”From defensive tackle to corporate professional and now therapist and community healer, Johnson’s path has always circled back to the same principle: Relationships matter. Through Powered Thru Purpose, he’s making sure others can discover that truth, too.
