Julia

Primary Therapist

Julia has been working in residential therapeutic settings for more than seven years. Originally from Atlanta, she began her career as a teacher, spending many years teaching art and music classes at summer camps and in nonprofits with children of refugees. She also worked in a Waldorf school teaching kindergarten, which informs her focus on nature, mindfulness and the expressive arts in her clinical approach. 

Julia has worked as a direct care staff member, clinical assistant, clinical intern, family therapist, and primary therapist in multiple mental health settings. Julia’s trauma-informed approach to therapy focuses on skill building, such as emotion regulation and communication skills through CBT and DBT, building self-awareness and healthy identity development through Narrative Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, and focusing on conflict resolution and family relationship repair through Nonviolent Communication and Family Systems Therapy.

Julia’s rainbow hair is intentional! She is passionate about helping young adults see therapy and therapists in a different way so they can shift to more openness around the idea of talk therapy in general. She especially appreciates helping guests work through the core tenants of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy: distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, and mindfulness. 

Specialties include depression, anxiety, LGBTQIA+, autism spectrum, ADHD, substance misuse, technology misuse, family conflict, divorce, adoption, school refusal and disordered eating.

Julia says: “”I love helping young people and their families heal, build new patterns of self care and self compassion, identify and strengthen healthy friendships, and step into greater confidence and self efficacy. Skyterra is a beautiful and caring setting which provides motivation, nurturing support and opportunities to create balance in one’s life. My hope is to help in the process of teaching our guests valuable life lessons to take home and into adulthood.”

Certifications and Achievements:

  • BA in Sociology and BS in Psychology from University of North Carolina Asheville
  • MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Plymouth State University
  • National Certified Counselor
  • Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor
  • Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist
  • First Aid/CPR Certified.