John Pemberton, LCSW, IS-ART

John “Junior” Pemberton, LCSW is the clinical director for Royal Life Centers’ in Prescott, Arizona. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a specialization in Substance Abuse and Trauma Therapy. Junior has over 10 years of experience working in the mental health field and has a passion for helping individuals overcome their struggles with addiction and trauma.

Junior received his Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and went on to obtain his Master’s degree in Clinical/Medical Social Work from Grand Canyon University. He is certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an evidence-based treatment for trauma-related disorders.

As the clinical director, Junior oversees all aspects of the treatment program at Royal Life Centers, ensuring that each client receives personalized care tailored to their specific needs. John leads with compassion, love, and integrity. He believes transparent communication is the key to positive relationships.

Junior knows that he may not look or sound like the “typical therapist.” His tattoos and tough exterior often catch people off guard, but what people quickly find is a deep well of warmth, compassion, and commitment behind that exterior. Junior was born and raised in Prescott, and while he has lived all over the country, Prescott has always been his home. His own history of addiction and a rough lifestyle — and his recovery since 2012 — are what brought him into this field. Those lived experiences fuel his passion and allow him to connect authentically with the people he serves.

Over the last decade, Junior has specialized in addiction, trauma, grief, and mental illness, working especially well with combat veterans and individuals who’ve lived through violence and abuse. Philosophically, Junior believes perception is the key to everything. As Epictetus said, “People are disturbed not by things, but by the views they take of them.” 

Junior’s approach — what he calls sternly coddling — is about balancing honesty with compassion: calling out the hard-to-see truths, while providing a safe, supportive space where growth is possible. He leads the same way he treats clients. 

As a Clinical Director and supervisor, Junior focuses on developing strong teams through transparency, accountability, and genuine support. Junior has been involved in creating specialty curricula, training clinicians nationally in Accelerated Resolution Therapy, and guiding both students and supervisees through their professional growth. Junior’s goal is to walk beside the Royal team and to foster an environment where they hold each other to high standards while also lifting each other up.