Mrs. Julie Hairston

LISW-S

My number one goal for my clients is for them to feel comfortable. I encourage people to come as you are and use our space to feel comfortable while we are together. We are all just humans trying to get through life and I believe that authenticity is paramount to forming a meaningful therapeutic relationship. If we are not a good match, that's ok. I'm happy to help you find someone who is. I want you to get as much as you can from therapy, even if it's not with me.

We are all a sum of our lived experiences. I'm a wife, a mom, a step-mom, a teacher, a daughter, a sister and a friend. I've been a student, an employee and a supervisor. I have had many experiences in life that shapes who I am and how I provide therapy. I have a special needs son, who requires a different approach to life and parenting and I know what it's like to go to battle for his needs. While this does not mean that my experience equals yours or is even relevant at all, I feel that knowing that someone has been there can be relatable to form a strong therapeutic relationship. Often times we avoid seeking therapy for fear of judgement, but knowing that we have all had experiences in life that shape who we are and that doesn't mean they have been easy, can make therapy more approachable.

Our first session is all about getting to know you. Who you are and what brings you to therapy are extremely important to the process. Also important is that you get to know me, who I am, and feel comfortable moving forward in the therapy process. I will complete a basic assessment as our conversation progresses. It is important for your therapist to gain the needed details to properly determine a therapeutic plan, but I do my best to make that process as natural as possible so it doesn't feel like you are just being bombarded with personal questions from someone you don't know. Our session will last an hour, and we will discuss the frequency of visits and determine some goals for what you want to accomplish during our time. I want my clients to feel in control of their therapy and let them know that they are the conductor of this train, and I am here to make sure we get where we are going. It's a partnership and your first session is the beginning of building that.