Many parents come to Julianna asking for support to help their struggling child or teen. They may want them to learn how to express their feelings in a healthier way or to help them feel more like themselves again. Julianna’s clients are children and teens with BIG feelings, BIG hurts, and BIG behaviors, and parents who recognize that their support is essential for positive change for their child and family. She supports children in working through their biggest emotions and empowers parents in their parenting and role as a strong and stable leader. She believes that growth and change are possible with the right resources, knowledge, and support for the family system. 

Julianna works as a family systems therapist at our Johnson County office. She offers individual, family, and couples and relationship therapy to children, teens, couples, and families. Many of Julianna’s clients struggle with a variety of concerns, including family/relationship issues, trauma/attachment issues, parenting, and divorce.

Julianna’s child-centered therapeutic approach uses non-directive and directive play therapy interventions and techniques to help clients work through their challenges. She draws from child-centered play therapy, attachment theory, family systems therapy, structural family therapy, and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). Her approach involves parents/caregivers and family members in treatment whenever possible, scheduling routine parent sessions and family sessions. She knows that working with the family to create systemic change has an even greater potential for growth and improvement.

By creating a warm and non-judgmental environment, Julianna encourages safety and freedom for clients to BE however they need to be in the moment. She meets children and teens where they are developmentally, using creativity and play to foster self-esteem and emotional regulation, teach coping and communication skills, and process trauma and challenging experiences. 

Julianna completed her Bachelor’s in Child & Family Development, minor in Psychology, and Master’s in Human Development and Family Science/Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Central Missouri. Julianna has also completed a 150-hour Play Therapy Certificate Program at the Heartland Play Therapy Institute. She is currently working toward her credential as a Registered Play Therapist, with specialized training in working with children exposed to domestic violence. Julianna is clinically supervised by Kim Rigsby.