Julia McGrath (she/her)

I am drawn to working with fellow HSPs and introverts who want to ease their anxiety and develop self acceptance. In therapy, we will look at the social structures, cultural expectations and day to day interpersonal interactions and trigger these concerns. We will also develop appreciation for other traits commonly associated with HSP’s and introversion, such as creativity and thoughtfulness. Most of all, we will thoroughly explore your core values and help you build a life uniquely yours.

Struggling with self esteem is deeply painful. In therapy for self-esteem, we will work together to explore your history and family which both are known to contribute to self esteem. We will also dive into societal and systemic aspects of power and oppression. You can process and heal from past pains and trauma which likely deepened your sense of unease within yourself. Developing understanding and constructing new meaning from your experiences can help develop esteem and self-compassion.

Together in therapy, we can look at the roots causes of anxiety, (trauma, family, social and cultural expectations), the physiology of anxiety, and how our bodies learn to be anxious as a way to keep us on alert. While developing this understanding, you can also develop compassion and practices than help you to respond to anxious feelings in healthy ways. Over time, the intensity of anxiety will subside and you can embrace finding the unique joy and fulfillment in life that you are looking for.

While my approach is collaborative and eclectic, I use ACT as the foundation of my practice due to it’s emphasis on values guided action, compassion, self awareness and meaningful changes. Most people in therapy are looking for these elements in their day to day lives. ACT also allows us to explore emotions and their purpose in signaling us to what is really important. I have studied ACT extensively and have found it to be natural fit for my therapy style.