Julie Barzal, LICSW, LISW

Julie Barzal is a licensed social worker who brings over 6 years of clinical experience to her work with adolescents and adults. She practices with dual credentials - LICSW and LISW - which indicate licensure to provide independent clinical social work services and independent social work services respectively. Working with clients who face LGBTQ-IA concerns, stress, anxiety, depression, anger management, low self-esteem, grief, blended family issues, and substance use disorders, she offers practical support for both individuals and families managing substance use challenges.

Her clinical approach combines several evidence-informed methods, including cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused techniques, problem-solving strategies, motivational interviewing, acceptance and commitment principles, client-centered methods, and a strengths-based orientation. She has experience diagnosing DSM mental health disorders, delivering direct counseling through telehealth, and providing crisis intervention and case management for adolescents and adults.

Julie centers her practice on empathy, active listening, cultural humility, and gender and identity inclusion. She emphasizes engagement, critical thinking, advocacy, and a strong work ethic while maintaining a client-centered, strengths-focused stance that meets clients where they are in their personal journeys. She aims to create an environment where thoughts and feelings can be expressed without judgment and where collaborative work can be both challenging and empowering.

Julie encourages those beginning therapy by acknowledging the courage it takes to start and by supporting clients in prioritizing their mental health. Her background also reflects lived experience that informs her practice - she became a parent as a teenager, is left-handed but ambidextrous, and returned to higher education later in life to earn both a bachelor's and a master's degree, underscoring her belief that it is never too late to pursue one’s goals.