Hi, I’m Dr. Julie (she/her/hers)! I am a bicultural and bilingual (English, Spanish) Peruvian-American psychologist. I was born in Costa Rica but spent much of my life moving with my family throughout the United States, Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe. I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in psychology and international & intercultural studies from Pitzer College. I then graduated from the California School of Professional Psychology - San Diego with my doctoral degree in clinical psychology in 2019. I completed my post-doctoral residency at the University of California - San Diego at the Counseling And Psychological Services (CAPS).

My areas of specialty include working with adults on depression, anxiety, acculturation issues, identity development, complex trauma, time and stress management, and major life transitions. I genuinely enjoy working with individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds and work to incorporate your cultural identity and values into your therapy.

I have clinical experience and training with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults in various settings, including outpatient community mental health clinics, residential crisis programs, integrated behavioral health, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, long-term residential psychiatric facilities, and university counseling centers. 

My therapy approach is collaborative in nature, as I strive to understand who you are and your unique concerns. I value a strong working relationship because I believe that in order to experience growth and healing, you must feel that you can trust me and speak openly about your concerns. My goal is to create a safe and non-judgmental space where we can foster this relationship. I am trained in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), narrative therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. I also believe that our attachment styles greatly influence who we are and how we show up in our lives and include this into therapy. However, I approach therapy in a more holistic manner, as everyone is unique and may not benefit from a highly structured therapy environment. My hope is that we can work together effectively to address your concerns and meet your therapy goals while also building a meaningful and positive relationship.

I am a member of the American Psychological Association and the San Diego Psychological Association. Along with conducting therapy, I have been a part of various research projects related to positive psychology and posttraumatic growth (growth that some individuals experience after experiencing a traumatic event). This research has greatly informed how I practice and view complex trauma. I take a trauma-informed approach with my work and incorporate my speciality in positive psychology and posttraumatic growth into therapy as appropriate..