Mental Health Diagnosis in Murray, Utah | Lionheart Counseling LLC
There's a question a lot of people carry for years without a clear answer: What is actually going on with me?
They know something isn't right. They've felt it for a long time. But without a name for it — without a clinical understanding of what they're actually dealing with — finding the right help can feel like guessing in the dark.
That's where mental health diagnosis comes in. And at Lionheart Counseling LLC, you may not need to go as far as you think to get one.
Can a Counselor Actually Diagnose Mental Health Disorders?
This is one of the most common misconceptions in the mental health field — even among other clinicians. The short answer is yes.
Dax Johnson is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in the state of Utah. Under Utah Code 58-60-402 and 58-60-407, LCMHCs are legally authorized to engage in the full practice of clinical mental health counseling — which explicitly includes observation, description, evaluation, interpretation, and treatment of mental or emotional illness or dysfunction.
Utah's LCMHC licensure examination — the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) — tests clinical competency across five domains, one of which is specifically intake assessment and diagnosis. Diagnostic competency is not optional in LCMHC training. It is a core requirement of the license itself.
LCMHCs use the DSM-5 and DSM-5-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) — the same diagnostic framework used by psychiatrists, psychologists, and all licensed mental health professionals — to formally assess, identify, and document mental health diagnoses.
What Mental Health Conditions Can Be Diagnosed?
As a fully licensed LCMHC, Dax Johnson can diagnose the majority of mental health disorders recognized in the DSM-5 and DSM-5-TR, including:
Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Acute Stress Disorder
Adjustment Disorders
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
Depressive Disorders
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Panic Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder
Specific Phobias
Agoraphobia
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Hoarding Disorder
Personality Disorders (some require further testing and evaluation for a more in-depth and accurate diagnosis)
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Dependent Personality Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
And others within the DSM-5 personality disorder spectrum
Mood and Bipolar-Related Disorders
Bipolar I and Bipolar II Disorder
Cyclothymic Disorder
Mood Disorder NOS
Dissociative Disorders (some require further testing and evaluation for a more in-depth and accurate diagnosis)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder
Dissociative Amnesia
Somatic and Related Disorders
Somatic Symptom Disorder
Illness Anxiety Disorder
Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder
Feeding and Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorder
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
Other Commonly Diagnosed Conditions
Grief and Bereavement-Related Disorders
Insomnia Disorder
Substance Use Disorders (mild to moderate)
Relational and Attachment Disorders
Important Diagnostic Limitations
Transparency matters — and being honest about the boundaries of any clinician's scope is part of ethical practice.
Psychotic Disorders: Dax Johnson does not diagnose or treat psychotic disorders including Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Brief Psychotic Disorder, or Delusional Disorder. These conditions require a higher level of psychiatric coordination than is offered at Lionheart Counseling, and clients presenting with psychotic symptoms will be referred to an appropriate psychiatric provider.
Neurodevelopmental Conditions (ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder): While LCMHCs have legal authority to diagnose ADHD and ASD, these conditions benefit significantly from in-depth comprehensive evaluation using standardized testing instruments rather than clinical interview alone. At Lionheart Counseling, ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder assessments are available as a separate comprehensive evaluation service — distinct from standard diagnostic assessment — using evidence-based instruments including the ADOS-2 and others. If you are seeking a diagnosis for ADHD or ASD, please inquire specifically about evaluation services. Daxton Johnson is trained in the assessments for adult evaluations for ADHD and ASD under the supervision of Dr. Ron Llewelyn, PsyD. Please message for details and timeline concerning this testing as these assessments are determined on a waitlist basis as mental health therapy and diagnostics within those scopes are the main priority services offered at Lionheart Counseling LLC.
Court-Ordered, Forensic, and Immigration Evaluations: Lionheart Counseling does not provide court-ordered psychological evaluations, forensic assessments, or immigration-related evaluations.
How Diagnosis Works at Lionheart Counseling
Mental health diagnosis at Lionheart Counseling is not a box-checking exercise. It is a clinical process grounded in thorough assessment, genuine engagement with your history and experience, and careful application of DSM-5 criteria.
The diagnostic process typically includes:
A comprehensive clinical intake interview covering your presenting concerns, history, symptoms, and how they impact your daily life
Review of relevant background history including developmental, relational, and medical context where applicable
Application of DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria to identify the most accurate clinical picture
A formal written diagnosis documented in your clinical record
Explanation of the diagnosis in plain language — what it means, what it doesn't mean, and what treatment options are available
Diagnosis is never the end of the conversation. At Lionheart Counseling it is the beginning — the clinical foundation from which effective, targeted treatment is built.
Why Diagnosis Matters
A clinical diagnosis is more than a label. It is a framework for understanding yourself — why you feel the way you feel, why certain patterns keep repeating, why certain situations hit you harder than they seem to hit others. It opens doors to targeted treatment, appropriate accommodations, and a vocabulary for communicating your experience to the people in your life.
Many adults come to Lionheart Counseling carrying years of confusion, shame, or self-blame for struggles that turn out to have a clear clinical name — and a clear clinical path forward. There is something genuinely relieving about understanding what you are actually dealing with.
Diagnostic Services at Lionheart Counseling LLC
Diagnostic assessment is available as part of the standard intake and therapy process for new clients, or as a standalone service for adults who are seeking clarity on their mental health without necessarily entering ongoing therapy.
For adults seeking comprehensive evaluations for ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder, a separate evaluation service is available — please contact Lionheart Counseling directly to inquire about availability and process.
In-person mental health diagnostic services are available Tuesday through Friday at our Murray, Utah office and accessible to our neighboring cities of Salt Lake City, South Jordan, Sandy, Draper, Midvale, West Jordan, Taylorsville, Herriman, and Cottonwood Heights. Telehealth diagnostic services (though some diagnoses do require in-person visits to thoroughly assess and verify) are available to adults throughout the entire state of Utah.
Ready to get some answers? Book a Session or reach out at dax@lionheartcounselingllc.com | (801) 921-7854
Dax Johnson, LCMHC (#13937032-6004) | Lionheart Counseling LLC | 5296 S Commerce Dr, Suite 206, Murray, UT 84107
Diagnostic services provided in accordance with Utah Code 58-60-402 and 58-60-407 and the Utah Mental Health Professional Practice Act.