Welcome to the office of Julie A. O’Brien.  This document is to provide you with information and answers to some questions you may have about counseling, my education and experience.  My Doctorate is in Counseling Education and Supervision from Argosy University and my Masters Degree is in Counseling Psychology from Antioch University. I have been working in the field of mental health since 1988 and have worked in a variety of settings therapeutically throughout my career.

I have been trained in a multitude of modalities all of which I continue to use in my practice today.  These trainings have been in psychodynamic, marriage and family, cognitive behavioral, trauma, grief and loss, EMDR Certification, crisis management, substance abuse, sexual abuse, gestalt, cancer support, object relations, stress management, parenting and personality disorders. I have been trained at Harvard’s Henry Benson Institute on Mind/Body medicine. I have also received clinical supervision from Dr. James Masterson and EMDR supervision from Robin Shapiro, an expert in EMDR.

I use all these methods as I see the need arise and dependent on your comfort level.  I have treated anxiety, depression, substance abuse and trauma through individual, marital, family and group therapy.  I have worked: in-patient, outpatient, hospital settings, community mental health agencies, school settings and with corporations in conflict resolution.  I have also taught parenting and stress management courses. I am presently the counseling coordinator and an adjunct professor for counseling students seeking their Masters Degrees in Counseling at Webster University. I am also a Florida Certified Supervisor providing clinical supervision for Masters level graduates seeking licensure.

What you can expect in therapy is that I will respect the time and the process.  I will work as hard as you in helping you improve your life challenge.  If you work hard in therapy you will gain an increase in self awareness.  Greater self awareness will lead to a gradual reduction in the symptoms which prompted beginning your journey into therapy.  What follows is usually an improved sense of self worth when you make more informed choices in your life.  An improved sense of self worth can only improve all the areas of your life.  It usually takes years to create symptoms and they usually require work and dedication to redirect and relieve them.

We will set your goals together at the first session.  We will periodically review these goals to assess our level of success.  If you are not getting your needs met I expect that you will bring this to my attention so that we can reevaluate, become clear and resolve the issue.