Life can be many things—colorfully painful, beautifully complicated, and at times, completely overwhelming.
And it doesn’t come with a how-to guide.
We all experience unexpected twists and turns along the roadmap of life. These hurdles can cause fear, sadness, resentment, and destructive patterns for us and in our closest relationships. At these painful life junctures, it's easy to slip into autopilot mode, just going through the motions. Surviving, but not fully living.
Happy...but not really.
I help children, teens, families, and adults break free from unhealthy habits, rewrite their life narratives, and make changes to create a life truly worth living. Our lives are too short to lose precious time to unhappiness, hopelessness, and getting stuck over and over again in the same old vicious cycles. Through therapy, I can help you create a richer, more meaningful and fulfilling life for yourself, your family, and your relationships.
Life is messy.
Therapy can help you find beauty, growth
and meaning in its colorful chaos.
About —
THE THERAPY PROCESS
Choosing a therapist is a bit like shopping for new jeans.
You need a fit that may initially feel new and (at times) slightly uncomfortable as we work through the tough stuff, with the confidence that over time as the relationship deepens, you’ll feel safe, secure and supported. A personal connection with your therapist is a vital part of the healing process, since it’s this “fit” that will help us do the deep work to help you design a life you truly love. Years of research on the therapy process have shown that an authentic connection with your therapist is the single most important factor that promotes healing. Only within the non-judgmental safety of a strong therapeutic relationship, where we experience compassion, acceptance, and—if needed—a sprinkling of being gently challenged, can we begin to identify and heal our most vulnerable parts. To this end, it’s crucial that you have a genuinely good fit with your therapist, and I wholeheartedly recommend giving me a call to determine for yourself whether my style will benefit you.
I’m a licensed therapist in California (LCSW #82455) and provide therapy to kids, teens, families, and adults. I have over 10 years of experience working with children and families in educational, residential and mental health settings. Educationally, I earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Virginia Tech and a Masters of Social Work from San Diego State University. My professional background includes extensive work with eating disorders and body image issues, anxiety and depression, anger and behavioral issues, family conflict, trauma, ADHD, and parenting and divorce issues. I’ve received training from UCSD Eating Disorders Center, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego and Grossmont Union High School District. I'm certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) as a national provider, in addition to holding certifications in AIM-HI (An Individualized Mental Health Approach for Children with ASD) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). My therapy style is nurturing, collaborative, and authentic, and I tailor treatment to your needs using evidence-based techniques and specialized training.
About —
THE THERAPIST
About —
TELETHERAPY
As a therapist licensed by the state, I can provide teletherapy services—sessions held via secure online video or phone—to any California residents. I understand that if you’ve never tried it before, teletherapy may feel unfamiliar at first (remember that new pair of jeans?). However, research has shown that teletherapy can be every bit as effective and healing as in-person sessions. Many people actually prefer the convenience, comfort, privacy, and flexibility—not to mention, zero commute time to therapy sessions!
About —
THE THERAPY DOGS
Hershey, an 11-year old Shih Tzu, and Belu, a 7-year old Golden Retriever, are proud rescue dogs. Both are wonderful role models for showing gratitude over the little things, practicing unapologetic self-care, and providing unconditional love and acceptance. Hershey and Belu understand their roles in the therapeutic process while in session, and they take confidentiality very seriously! Hershey and Belu have part-time schedules, so if you dislike dogs, no worries—just let me know so I can schedule your session when they're not working.
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I value creativity, humor, compassion and enthusiasm, and infuse all of these in therapy to help you become unstuck. While everyone’s path to healing looks different, my approach provides empathic evidence-based therapy to promote mind, body and soul healing. All of us get stuck in the “one step forward, two steps back” dance, and therapy can give you a personalized roadmap to help you get back to living a life you love.
SERVICES
CHILD THERAPY
ADOLESCENT THERAPY
Kids in the 21st century face unique life obstacles, including—but by no means limited to—the ongoing psychological and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Often when children are struggling and need us the most, their words and actions push us away. This can make them challenging to authentically connect with in therapy. Because they communicate differently than adults, the way we do therapy with them looks different—think playdough, puppets and props! I specialize in working with children to help them navigate challenges such as school stressors, friendship issues, managing big feelings, and parent-child conflict. My background as an early childhood educator, high school therapist, and clinician at Rady Children’s Hospital—along with a healthy dose of creativity and humor—helps me connect with kids from all walks of life, with all manner of struggles. I use research-based approaches to work with the whole family unit to promote healing from the inside out. Within the non-judgmental safety of therapy, we can get deep and unpack your kiddo’s challenges to help them reconnect with family and friends, understand and change negative patterns and habits, and feel happier and more confident in who they really are.
Teens are some of my absolute favorite people in the world to work with. They're fiercely independent and at the same time, yearning for connection. Their brains are growing, they're experiencing new emotional highs and lows, they're trying to individuate from their families and discover who they really are, and through it all, they desperately want approval and acceptance from their social circle. Now, with near 24/7 accessibility to peers, unhealthy social media messaging, and impossible beauty and achievement standards, it's a hard time to be a teen. I'm experienced in helping adolescents and their families safely navigate these rough waters to come out the other end stronger, more confident, and more aware. Once a good therapeutic relationship is formed, we can roll up our sleeves and get into the difficult yet vital work of changing unhealthy cycles leading to anxiety and depression, constant comparison with others and feeling "not good enough", substance use, disordered eating, and dysfunctional relationships. Therapy can help teens practice healthier choices, develop more balanced perspectives, communicate assertively rather than passively or aggressively, and explore their self-identity to better understand, accept—and maybe even like—themselves.
ADULT THERAPY
Life brings both happiness and suffering, often in equal measure. In this day and age, our lives are so busy that it can seem enticingly easy to put our mental health on the back burner or neatly compartmentalize it away—until something happens that reminds us that if we don't take care of ourselves, we can't take care of much else, either. If you find yourself disconnected from what brings you joy, trapped in toxic patterns that hurt you rather than serve you, or struggle to let go of past resentments, therapy may help. Getting unstuck from the throes of depression, anxiety, childhood trauma, and self-defeating relationships with food, drugs, and alcohol is indisputably hard. And like all good work, the therapeutic healing process requires some discomfort, growth, and raw authentic vulnerability. But the results—reconnecting with yourself, accepting who you are and are not, and finding greater fulfillment in daily life—are worth it. After all, at the end of the day, what's more important than the relationship you have with yourself?
AREAS OF SPECIALTY
You
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Depression & anxiety
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Life transitions
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Unhealthy relationships with food, drugs & alcohol
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Body image issues
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Chronic stress & burnout
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Low self-worth
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Unresolved past traumas
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Grief & loss
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Anger & shame
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Parenting issues & support
Your Teen
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Insecurity & social anxiety
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Unhealthy friendships & romantic relationships
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Low self-esteem
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Eating disorders
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Substance use
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Irritability & withdrawal
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Communication difficulties
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Depression & self-harm
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Perfectionism & self-criticism
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Mood swings & impulsivity
Your Family
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High conflict patterns of miscommunication, defiance & disrespect
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Sibling issues & rivalries
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Homework & chore refusal
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Parent-child disconnect
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Unclear roles & expectations
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Ineffective conflict resolution
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Coping with daily stressors
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Navigating separation, divorce & blended families
Your Children
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Young kids ages 5+
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Behavioral issues, impulsivity & tantrumming
- Non-compliance at home & school
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Big feelings of sadness, anger, worry & panic
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Difficulties with friendships
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Coping with divorce
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ADHD
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School & academic stressors
FAQ'S
LOCATION
At this time, all therapy sessions are held exclusively via telehealth.
RATES
Therapy appointments are $195 per session and are typically held on a weekly basis. I offer a limited number of reduced fee/sliding scale slots for those unable to afford my standard rate. To discuss this option, please call me so we can chat about rates and availability.
SCHEDULING
I fully understand that life is hectic, and I offer afternoon and evening sessions to accommodate school dismissal times, sports practices, tutoring appointments, variable work hours, and other life roles and responsibilities.
In my experience, I've found the seasons of life that feel too busy to "fit therapy in" are actually the seasons of life when we need support the most! To this end, I’m happy to work with your scheduling constraints as best I can.
INSURANCE
I'm an out-of-network provider and am not affiliated with any insurance panels. However, some insurances provide out-of-network coverage. To check, contact your insurance provider directly and ask about their out-of-network coverage for mental health services. If your policy offers reimbursement, I can provide you with a superbill of services that you can submit to your insurance company.
GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining how much your medical and mental healthcare will cost, including psychotherapy services. Under the law, healthcare providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who aren't using insurance an estimate of the total expected cost for any non-emergency medical services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your healthcare provider for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. While it's not possible for a therapist to know, in advance, how many psychotherapy sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person, this form provides an estimate of the cost of services provided. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.
READY TO TAKE THE LEAP?
GREAT. LET'S CONNECT!
Send an email to julia@juliaallentherapy.com
Submit a message using the online contact form
Call or text me at 858-208-0198
I’ll reach out to set up a free phone consultation with you so we can discuss your needs, answer any questions you have about me or the therapy process, and assess if my style is the right fit for you.