I’m Julie Anderson Smith (she/her), and at my core, I’m someone who believes deeply in people’s capacity to heal — not because it’s a nice idea, but because my own life has asked me to grow, rebuild, and rediscover myself more than once.

I’ve lived through seasons where everything familiar shifted — relationships, identity, roles, the ground beneath my feet. I know what it’s like to feel steady on the outside while something inside you is tender, uncertain, or unraveling. I know what it’s like to feel both capable and undone at the same time. These moments humbled me, stretched me, and ultimately shaped the way I sit with people now.

They taught me to slow down. To listen closely. To bring warmth instead of pressure, curiosity instead of judgment.

More than anything, they taught me that people don’t heal through being pushed — they heal through being truly seen.

When I sit with someone, I’m not thinking about how to fix them. I’m meeting another human who, like me, is trying to live with clarity, courage, and compassion. My work is informed by both my clinical training and my lived experience: I am a Marriage and Family Therapist Candidate (MFTC), IFS-Certified, and Level 2 IFS trained. But the heart of my work comes from being a person who knows what it means to rebuild with intention.

I care about creating a space where you don’t have to hold everything together. A space where you can exhale. A space where the most honest parts of you are welcome — even the ones you don’t always show anyone.

And yes — River, my Golden Retriever therapy dog, is often curled up nearby. His soft, steady presence mirrors what I hope you feel here: ease, gentleness, and a sense that you don’t have to perform or pretend.

This work is personal to me. Not because your story becomes mine, but because I understand how brave it is to begin again. How much courage it takes to look inward. How meaningful it is to reclaim your voice, your clarity, your connection.

That’s who I am — a human sitting with another human, ready to walk alongside you as you find your way back to yourself.

If something in this resonates, I’d be honored to meet you.

You already carry the wisdom and strength you need to heal. River, my certified therapy dog, is simply here to walk alongside you—offering calm, comfort, and connection as you access the resilience already within you.