Dr. Ryaja Johnson joined UTMB in 2023 as Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and the Department of Anesthesiology. Dr. Johnson earned a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Health, Rehabilitation, and Primary Care from Wright State University in Dayton, OH. She completed her internship at Cherokee Health Systems in Knoxville, TN followed by completion of her Clinical Health Psychology Fellowship at Ascension Genesys in Grand Blanc, MI.

Dr. Johnson has experience working in hospital and primary care settings, as well as, community mental health and trauma-focused specialty clinics. She has provided medical education related to psychological and behavioral change principles to resident physicians in Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Internal Medicine, and Podiatry. Dr. Johnson is an ardent believer in addressing whole-person health promotion with behavioral modifications, cognitive reframing, physical reconditioning, and spiritual coping.