The Waters We Swim In

Overview

I’m Hillary Johnson—a multidisciplinary artist, writer, (you can find me on Substack) and facilitator with over two decades of experience supporting people through personal, creative, and collective transformation. I work at the intersection of contemplative practice, trauma-aware coaching, and artistic inquiry—creating spaces where sensitivity is honored, safety is central, and new ways of being can emerge. Whether through handmade paper, immersive installations, or inner work with individuals and groups, I hold space for people to reconnect with their own creative intelligence and embodied truth.

Biography

Johnson holds an MFA in Photography at Columbia College Chicago where she served as a Curatorial and Education Assistant at the Museum of Contemporary Photography for three years. She is a recipient of an Albert P. Weisman Award, and Thall-Mulvany Awards for her work creating immersive installations that explore ways in which art and science may be a critical piece of how we create a more loving and compassionate world. Her work has been featured in the 2nd Quanzhou International Image Biennale at the Fujulian Huanguang Photography Art Museum, Hüten Gallery in Shanghai, China, Image Union, Pasadena Photo Arts, The Chicago Reader, National Public Radio, NBC News, A Photo Editor, and Frontrunner Magazine. Her works have been exhibited across the United States and internationally.  

She is the creator of, “The Waters We Swim In,” a global movement for self-love and compassion, grounded in a process of transformative water-based portrait sessions that invite subjects to feel greater kindness and compassion for themselves while recognizing their place in the great pattern of things.

My Lineage as a Facilitator

My journey as a facilitator began in 2001, working with young women and leading creative and reflective groups. That same year, I entered into intensive training in meditation and contemplative practice with a Buddhist monk, and in 2008, I was formally approved to teach. While this spiritual lineage continues to inform my grounded, compassionate approach, my work is not religious or doctrinal—it’s invitational and deeply attuned to the needs of each person.

My studies also include training in positive psychology, neuroscience, and somatic wellness. I was originally trained as a clinical psychologist before choosing a more integrative, artful path. What I’ve learned again and again is this: change doesn’t come from trying harder. It begins when the body feels safe enough to shift. My work centers nervous system regulation, deep listening, and intuitive presence as the foundation for sustainable growth.

I specialize in working with artists, visionaries, neurodivergent and highly sensitive people, and those navigating personal or collective thresholds. I create trauma-aware, creative containers where people can rest into who they really are—and begin to imagine what’s next.