Group therapy is a place to join others in a safe, supportive environment that encourages honest interpersonal exploration. Group therapy can provide a wonderful opportunity to learn many valuable things about yourself as you identify and explore various psychological issues. The therapeutic goals of group therapy are ambitious because we desire to change behaviors and attitudes many years in the making. I use a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Somatic Experiencing and Mindfulness techniques in all therapeutic groups.
When you join a group you can expect to:
* Break through inner isolation–you are not alone with issues that concern you.
* Learn how other people can become a powerful source in facilitating your well-being.
* Reduce the pain, guilt and shame and begin feeling good again as we work together on issues of self-
esteem,anxiety, depression, body image, relationship difficulties and job/career challenges.
* Release ineffective behavior patterns such as people- pleasing, codependency, perfectionism, avoidance,
procrastination, denial and magical thinking.
* Release negative, critical, self-defeating thinking patterns that no longer serve your growth.
* Learn new ways of coping with stress, anxiety, depression, overwhelm, hopelessness, powerlessness and
despair, without using food, substances, drama, television, internet surfing, shopping, sex, gambling,
avoidance, etc.
Current Ongoing Groups:
Women/Men Who Use Food for Emotional Comfort
These groups meet weekly at my West Los Angeles office. Group size is generally 6-8 participants.
Call or email for days, times and availability. Contact Julie
Comments from Group Members
“Julie is really amazing at her ability to educate as well as provide a safe space for her clients to explore their emotional eating patterns. Having been in her group for over a year, I can attest that although it was difficult for me to grasp the concepts in the beginning, once I ‘got it,’ the weight loss became much easier and much more natural, without my really needing to think about it. Julie’s group and her 12 week emotional eating recovery program have helped me more than any other approach or diet I have tried. Thank you, Julie, for your deep wisdom and kind, encouraging spirit.”
M.S., Licensed Clinical Social Worker
“Through working with Julie, I gently and gracefully was able to address the real reasons for my overeating, which had nothing to do with hunger. She helped me get in touch with those places deep inside that in the past I was afraid or unwilling to address. This underlying anxiety, depression and pain that I wasn’t even aware of was triggering me to eat compulsively, to cover up the pain. Julie’s work is so brilliant at giving me tools to work with myself, ways to be gentle with myself, and ways to comfort myself without using food. To this day, I use Julie’s work to continue to heal my experiences with food and my body.”
Arriane Alexander, Actress/Singer
“I would have to say the most important thing I learned from Julie was to love my body. During my group therapy with Julie, we did in-group exercises that usually had a homework component to do on our own; one of our group exercises was to identify and talk about a body part we did not like. I did not like my butt. I had never liked it. It was much too big and it was shaped wrong. I cannot tell you what about the shape was “wrong”, it just was. It was determined that my homework would be to look at my butt every day in the mirror and say “I love my butt.” I was sure that would be impossible as there was nothing about my butt to love. I began to put my butt in front of the mirror at home, look over my shoulder and say “I love my butt.” But (and no pun intended) I didn’t. I did the homework anyway. Following group sessions helped me with motivation to support this new idea by asking “What was there to love about my butt?” One of the many things I really learned from Julie was to ask myself: Doesn’t it do everything for you a butt could possibly do? It supports your legs so you can walk to your car and go to your job, so you can walk your dog and dance with your friends. It provides a comfortable place to sit. And it certainly keeps your clothes from dropping below your waist. And I learned to love my butt simply because it was mine. With time, my thought process became “How can I NOT love my butt?” It did everything it was supposed to do. And once I loved one part of my body, it became easier to love my whole body and treat it well. Even now, I will think “Oh, my butt doesn’t look good in these pants” and my next thought is, ‘Well, then these pants must go as I love my butt and I deserve pants that make it look good.’”
Virginia S., Attorney
“I was in one of your groups for Women who eat for Emotional Comfort. Wow! With your direct, yet gentle style, the members of the group always got to their deepest feelings. You have a way of getting to the core issues in warp speed. Even though at times it was painful to go so deep, I knew I was on the road to recovery as I felt feelings I had buried a long time ago. It’s a relief to know that there is recovery if we do the work.”
A.P., Human Resource Manager
“I was raised by alcoholic parents. My sister and brother turned to alcohol and drug addiction as well. My addiction of choice was food, although when my overeating began at age 12, I didn’t realize I had just chosen a different type of addiction than others in my family. I spent 40 years being overweight, gradually heading to obesity and all the associated chronic health conditions. About 20 years ago, I attended a seminar given by Julie and decided to join her group for overeaters. While I had to drag myself there, on some deep level I knew I could not win this addiction battle alone.I stayed in group several years since it was easier in group to hide a bit. I am an expert in hiding, and learned how to deny problems from my alcoholic upbringing. After several years in group, I took the courageous step to start individual treatment with Julie. My journey has been a long and twisted road, with Julie gently prodding and supporting, but never pressuring me to move faster than I was able.Julie is responsible for my awakening in many ways. I had been asleep at the wheel for decades emotionally, denying my dysfunctional upbringing, husband incapable of true intimacy, and suffering the raw exhaustion of being married, while juggling a career and raising my children by myself. Julie helped me every step of the way. Many weeks, she was my sole support.I continued to work hard with her, looking deeply into myself and peeling away hundreds of layers of onions. Julie is responsible for my spiritual awakening as well. My new sense of spirituality, growing self confidence, and introspection with Julie have shaped my road to recovery. I have lost 40 pounds and have about 20 pounds to go. Losing weight is now effortless for me, thanks to Julie. I am going to be thin next year, and for the first time in years, I am beginning to experience true happiness and inner peace. Julie has been my spiritual guide on the most challenging journey of my life. I thank her profoundly.”
S.M., M.S.W.
“Julie—being in groups and classes and individual therapy with you has been life-saving. I’ve been in therapy before, but nothing has ever been this helpful and transformative. You’ve helped me put together all the broken pieces from a dysfunctional childhood. You’ve been a wonderful, nurturing and inspiring guide and you are a living, breathing example of what true recovery looks like. Thank you.”
C.G., Actress and Mother
“In addition to her wise and compassionate counseling, Julie provided many practical tools for overcoming my bulimia. I still use Julie’s “Blue Sheet” exercise to get in touch with my troubling feelings and shift my thoughts to ones of greater self-acceptance and self-love.”
Barbara K., M.B.A., Marketing Consultant
