OUR STORY

Crystal Mullen-Johnson is the CEO and Founder of Strive Counseling Services, LLC, with locations in Birmingham and Demopolis, Alabama. She is an award-winning therapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Private Independent Practitioner (PIP), and Registered Play Therapist (RPT) with more than 20 years of experience providing mental health counseling and support to individuals, children, adolescents, adults, and families.
Crystal earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Alabama A&M University. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to expanding access to quality mental health services and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, particularly within historically marginalized communities.
Her expertise and community leadership have earned her recognition throughout Birmingham and beyond. Crystal has been featured as a mental health expert contributor in The Birmingham Times and AL.com. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was recognized by The Birmingham Times as one of 200 Frontline Workers. She was also recognized by the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office through the #StrongHer Campaign as a game changer for her work promoting mental health and wellness throughout the city. Crystal is also the author of The 21-Day Journey to Strive for a Healthier You. 
In 2018, Crystal launched a community outreach initiative focused on providing mental health education and resources to historically marginalized communities throughout Birmingham. Through Nurture of Alabama, Crystal and her team have hosted more than 40 mental health and wellness events, reached more than 1000 individuals through community programming, collaborated with more than 150 mental health and healthcare professionals and community leaders, and provided more than 200 hours of counseling services.
Recognizing both the tremendous need for accessible mental health resources and the success of these community initiatives, Crystal founded Nurture of Alabama, Inc. in 2021. Nurture is dedicated to expanding access to mental health resources and shifting the conversation around mental health throughout Alabama, with a particular focus on historically marginalized communities.
Nurture has developed meaningful partnerships with organizations and institutions including the Birmingham Housing Authority, W.J. Christian School, Jefferson County Family Court, District 1, Dream Girls Academy, and the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office.
For the past six years, Nurture of Alabama has proudly partnered with the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office to support the annual Citywide Mental Health Day, helping connect Birmingham residents with mental health education, counseling, wellness resources, and community support.
Crystal is also committed to developing the next generation of mental health professionals. Nurture of Alabama and Strive Counseling Services have established internship placement partnerships with Herzing University, Alabama A&M University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), providing students with opportunities to gain meaningful hands-on experience in community-based mental health services.
Through her clinical practice, nonprofit leadership, community partnerships, and advocacy, Crystal Mullen-Johnson continues to champion a vision of an Alabama that nurtures the mental health and well-being of all. Her work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: expanding access to mental health care, strengthening communities, and changing the conversation can improve the quality of life for individuals and families across Alabama.