Meet Your Therapist
The first thing you might notice about our space at Voyager Counseling is that it’s… not very typical. Neither is your therapist.
Julie is an LGBTQIA+ affirming clinician who believes the most important thing we can do for our kids is meet them where they are, as they are. It is her goal to create a therapy space that feels warm, welcoming, and safe for children and teens to come as their most authentic selves. She believes that therapy can be a space for laughter, tears, anger, joy, grief, pain and so much more. She believes in authenticity, a genuine connection, and sharing the weight of the journey. Clients will find her to be enthusiastic, engaged, open, and honest with them as they journey together.
Julie’s primary focus is using non-directive Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) to work with clients ages 3-13. With teens, a client-centered approach is taken, which means a range of modalities – focused on client need and readiness – are employed. Julie grounds herself in the person-centered theory of Carl Rogers (also known as client-centered) and explores interpretation & symbolism with clients through a Jungian therapy lens. She believes in working with each person as a whole human – with all the complexities that come with that.
Julie is a Licensed Professional Counselor (AK 193297) who works with clients under 18 in the Mat-Su Borough. She received her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of West Alabama. Her professional memberships include the Association for Play Therapy – Member • Alaska Association for Play Therapy – Member • American Mental Health Counselor’s Association – Member • American Mental Health Counselor’s Association – Alaska Chapter (foundation in progress) – Steering Committee Chairperson • The Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism (ARAS) – Member • Sandplay Therapists of America – Associate Member. She believes it is important to never stop growing and learning in order to best serve her clients and their families.
Post-grad, Julie spent many hours training in EMDR, Brainspotting, and other modalities before finding her calling as a Child Centered Play Therapist. She has since completed a year long intensive training in CCPT and Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT). Julie is firmly grounded in child/person centered theory, and all client and family work is done within this lens. Julie continues to learn and grow, expanding her knowledge of CCPT, CPRT, and client-centered work; analytical psychology and Jungian Play Therapy; the CAMS model of suicide and self harm prevention and reduction; justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and cultural contexts in therapy; as well as best practices in assessment, interpretation, and interventions. Most recently, she received her certification in ADHD Assessment & Treatment. She is currently working on her “trained” and “certified” status for CAMS, as well as her National Board Certification and Registered Play Therapist credentials. To learn more about the kinds of classes and training Julie has invested in, click HERE to read her CV.
Julie grew up in North Dakota and lived in several states across the lower 48 before calling Alaska home in 2013. She’s stepmom to two awesome humans – one in middle school and one in high school, and aunt to a whole host of tiny and not-so-tiny humans. When she’s not at the office or planning the next conference or class she’s going to attend, you might find her hanging out with her own not-so-tiny humans, her husband, and/or the family’s fur babies (there are 3 cats, 2 dogs, and 2 axolotls currently). She also enjoys scuba diving, snorkeling, photography, paddleboarding, hiking, training for her next half marathon, playing her guitar, or reading a good book. While she loves Alaska, she’s a sunny beach loving girl at heart and can often be found dreaming up her next trip to someplace where the ocean is warm and she can spend time under the sea.
