About Julia

Philosophy

The most important thing to me in my practice is providing a safe space for my clients. You deserve to be listened to and understood, and you need that in order to do the hard work of accomplishing your therapy goals. We may end up laughing, we may dig into painful topics, and sometimes we will do both at the same time. I take tremendous care to foster a relationship of trust and attune to the unique needs of each client.

I believe therapy works best when you are able to identify the beliefs or behaviors that are simply not working for you anymore. It is okay if you do not yet know what exactly is keeping you stuck, I can help you figure that out. But success in therapy ultimately hinges on identifying what is both in need of change and in your control.

In session, I am interested in understanding your past and where you are coming from, and I am intent on holding your experiences with respect and compassion. I am also focused on what is happening in the moment and finding solutions in the present time. Rather than simply discussing how or why something happened in the past, I may encourage you to re-enact the moment and discuss how it feels right now. In other words, I will ask you to experience your feelings, rather than simply talk about them. This may be challenging at first, but I truly believe that healing comes once you are able to move through your feelings in the room with me.

This kind of work – referred to as Gestalt Therapy – is as somatic (relating to the body) as much as it is intellectual. “Gestalt,” meaning “whole” in German, is the notion that we cannot ignore any part of you when addressing a wound. We need to look at your thoughts and emotions, but we also must pay attention to your physical sensations. So, you will often hear me ask, “What do you feel in your body right now?” Sound uncomfortable? Don’t worry, it gets easier with practice.

Gestalt therapy combines well with an array of other interventions that I typically use in session, such as Internal Family Systems, Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Animal Assisted Therapy. These therapies recognize that we carry wounds in our nervous system, and support research that shows that healing is hard to come by unless we incorporate the body in therapeutic intervention.

I pride myself in staying hungry for knowledge and being part of an active network of helping professionals to remain up-to-date with the best ways to treat my clients. It is important to me to provide the highest quality of care, which means working within the scope of my training and experience. If after contracting me, we decide you require a different level of care or area of expertise than what I offer, I will provide appropriate referrals or collaborate with other professionals as needed.

Experience and Training

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado (LPC.0014211). I received my Master’s Degree in International Disaster Psychology from the University of Denver, where I studied mental health interventions in multicultural, humanitarian settings. Meanwhile, I received clinical training from Maria Droste Counseling Center, where I served as a school-based therapist for children and an outpatient therapist for adults. After graduating, I worked as a violence interventionist in elementary schools in Guanajuato, Mexico before returning to Denver to work for Project Pave, where I treated adolescents and their families effected by relationship violence. I did not always know I wanted to be a therapist. Prior to studying psychology, I received a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from Boston University and spent several years advocating for individuals seeking protection under U.S. immigration law. What drove me to the field of mental health was the experience of joining remarkably resilient individuals in overcoming their obstacles and achieving their dreams. I am a permanent student of the Spanish language, deeply immersed in Latin culture, and loyal to my work with individuals and families from all over the world.