Julie Sousa (she/her/hers)
LMHC
Undergraduate Degree - Lesley University
Masters Degree - Lesley University
Specialty/Age Groups Treated - My specialty is Expressive Arts Therapy. I treat a range of ages, children, teens, and adults, and enjoy working with all equally. I enjoy helping others through transitions in their lives and promoting how art and creativity can build on their already existing strengths and capacity to heal.
Language: English
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Prior to an initial session, I like to read through the intake paperwork submitted by a new client in order to begin with an understanding of what brings them to therapy. In the session itself, I welcome new clients to elaborate on the information they've provided while allowing space and validation of thoughts and emotions emerging in the moments of meeting a new therapist. Depending on the preference of the client, I might provide art materials to support expression and comfort. Together, the new client and I discuss a plan for sessions and treatment approaches that feel like a good fit for the client's needs.
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I am an Expressive Therapist who gravitates toward the use of visual art to prompt further curiosity, exploration, and compassion of a client's emotional world. I am trained in EMDR to support reprocessing of difficult experiences that continue to impact how a client feels within themself and their relationships. I also make use of my trainings in SandPlay Therapy, Play Therapy, DBT, and Existential Therapy. -
I grew up on the North Shore and am so happy to be supporting clients here.
I am an Expressive Arts Therapist and Clinical Mental Health Counselor originally from New Hampshire. I’ve also lived in cities like New York City and Boston, appreciating both the serenity of nature and the excitement of urban life. I completed my Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy from Lesley University in 2020.
Over the last six years, I have worked in a variety of treatment settings, including youth group homes, homeless shelters, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, substance use residential programs, and community-based environments. I enjoy working with a wide range of ages and life experiences, but I have more specific experience with LGBTQIA+ youth, youth on the Autism spectrum, and adults facing acute mental health and substance use disorders or navigating major life transitions.
I utilize a variety of modalities, including art therapy, poetry, dance/movement, yoga, meditation, spirituality, play therapy, and nature therapy. I’m always exploring new approaches to mental health treatment through a trauma-informed, person-centered lens with cultural humility. I recently graduated from a 200-hour yoga teacher training and enjoy incorporating somatic body work and mindfulness into my sessions.
In my free time, I love creating mixed media art, visiting museums, hiking mountains, doing yoga, and traveling to learn about different cultures and geography. I believe in the power of the mind-body connection and an individual’s ability to heal through creative arts with the encouragement of a therapist.