About Dr. Julie

Welcome, and thank you for being here!

As a neurodivergent psychologist, I am passionate about helping you explore how your brain works using the tools of psychological science. My own lived experiences as a neurodivergent person help me cultivate a sense of safety, inclusion, and deep understanding within our work. I value authenticity, creativity, diversity, and co-creating knowledge together.

Please think of me as your guide on this journey.

Professioal Philosophy

I am trained as a health psychologist with a specialization in pediatric school psychology. This background gives me a deep understanding of how the brain and body cooperate, and how that connection impacts learning, loving, and living. I view psychology from a functional-evolutionary perspective, believing that most behaviors, emotions, and thoughts exist for a functional reason—even when we aren't consciously aware of what that reason is.

I recognize that we all experience similar challenges in very different ways. Furthermore, I understand that certain differences are often only disabling when a person is in an unsupportive environment. Because of this, I don't view people, behaviors, or thoughts as inherently "normal" or "abnormal," "good" or "bad"—we just are.

As a neurodivergent psychologist, I am guided by the philosophy of radical acceptance. I strive to bring cultural humility to every avenue of this work, balancing established assessment and therapy practices with a deep respect for each person's individuality, strengths, and lived experience. I approach our work through a bio-psycho-social lens, heavily emphasizing the systemic and social factors—often outside of individual control—that impact functioning and disability.

My goal is to be your guide in the following ways:

Exploring Your Functioning: Using psychological and neuropsychological testing to help you understand exactly how your brain and body work within your world.
Advocating for Your Needs: Identifying concrete strategies to help you understand and advocate for yourself across all settings, whether at school, at work, or in the community.
Building on Your Strengths: Helping you lean into your unique gifts and skill sets so you can address the most important areas of your life with confidence.

I am proudly pro-autism and pro-neurodivergence!

I deeply enjoy working with autistic and neurodivergent individuals on their own terms, and I recognize the vital gifts that neurodivergent people share with our world.

When you come here, you can expect to be treated with dignity, respect, and deep consideration for your sensory and energy needs.

Early Experience & Education

Prior to becoming a licensed psychologist, I supported individuals with disabilities through volunteer work in special education settings, such as the Children's Institute, and by conducting state-sponsored disability evaluations for emerging adults.

In 2014, I earned my PhD in Health Psychology with a specialization in Pediatric School Psychology from East Carolina University, alongside a Master's degree and a certificate of specialization in School Psychology. Pediatric health psychologists span both school and medical settings, helping families, teachers, and doctors translate complex medical information to better support children.

Though my program primarily focused on children and learning, I cross-trained in Clinical Health Psychology so I could also support adults. In short, my foundational training taught me exactly how medical issues impact brain functioning, and how that impact translates to school, work, and home.

My clinical training experiences included:

University outpatient mental health clinics
School-based mental health clinics
Primary care and specialty medical practices
Inpatient neuropsychology units (following patients with brain injuries)

Through these experiences, I learned to engage children using developmentally appropriate approaches, and to consult with the adults who serve them—like teachers, doctors, and parents. Throughout it all, my training heavily centered on psychological and neuropsychological evaluation.

Clinical Experience & Systems-Level Perspective

Following my training, I completed an internship with the Illinois School Psychology Internship Consortium in the Medical Track, a track I actually helped create! I then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in a rural primary care setting.

I spent the majority of my early clinical career working in a consultation model known as Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH). This fast-paced model allowed me to see up to twelve patients a day and consult on numerous others. Over four years, I collaboratively supported close to 4,000 patients! This incredible volume exposed me to the vastness of the human experience and taught me how to connect with people across a wide variety of backgrounds and identities.

Crucially, it also opened my eyes to the massive role that systems play in our wellness. I saw firsthand that many of my patients were not suffering because they were born with a mental illness; they were suffering because they lacked access to medicine, safe spaces, food, safe work, or opportunities to safely exercise.

Advocacy, Consulting, & Gender-Supportive Care

As one might imagine, seeing so many patients impacted by these heavy, systems-level issues eventually led to burnout. I decided to step away from full-time clinical practice to rest, shifting my focus to working directly at the systems level. I provided implementation support to state agencies rolling out community-based programming and federal education law (IDEA). This consulting and research role showed me just how difficult—and how long—it takes to enact even small systemic changes.

During this time, I also maintained a private practice that allowed me to utilize the skills I had developed in graduate school around gender-supportive care, enjoying a small caseload of individuals exploring their gender identity.

Returning Home

Now, returning to my hometown of Pittsburgh, I am delighted to roll all of the skills, expertise, and lived experience I have gained into this evaluation clinic. Here, I am excited to practice everything my patients have taught me over the years, grounded entirely in neurodivergent-affirming approaches.

Austen Psychological Services is located on the ancestral lands of the Adena, Hopewell, Monongahela, Haudenosaunee, Lenape, Shawnee, Seneca, Iroquois, Wyandotte, Delaware, Mingo, Osage, and other peoples. We humbly recognize these, and all other ancestors, whose names have been purposefully erased or forgotten by time.

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