Julie Weiner, IMFT

Pronouns: She/Her

Education, Licensure, & Training

• Master of Arts degree in Marriage & Family Therapy from the University of Akron
• Licensed as an Independent Marriage & Family Therapist in the state of Ohio
• Training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy (EMDR), and working with families impacted by substance use

We don’t choose the genetics we’re born with, the culture we come from, our experiences growing up, or the curveballs life throws at us. But we do choose what to do with those pieces and how they will inform our choices moving forward. My work centers on helping people make meaning out of challenging experiences. My clients want to untangle their past from their present, to understand what they’ve been through, how it has shaped them, and how to move forward with peace and intention. I find purpose in empowering others, and together we’ll work to build the insight, skills, and confidence you need to cultivate a meaningful future.

Here are a few examples of the clients I often work with:

Adult Individuals

Most of the people I work with have experienced challenging relationships that left them feeling like they’re “the problem.” They often struggle with anxiety and distressing memories and they have trouble being kind to themselves. For many it started in their family growing up, and now looking back they’re realizing that what they thought was normal was actually damaging. Our work will begin by building trust and exploring your story, tracing the emotions you feel and your patterns of thinking back to where they first started. I draw heavily on techniques from narrative therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Internal Family Systems Theory, and my training in EMDR allows me to help clients seeking efficient relief from thoughts, feelings, and memories of distressing events. After processing your past and how it has shaped your present, we’ll equip you with the tools you’ll need to begin writing your next chapter.

Older Children & Teens (ages 12 and up)

The adolescents I work with have been through hard things that shape how they see themselves and the world. Many are high-achievers who struggle with perfectionism and worry about the future. I work with teens and preteens to build skills and confidence in managing difficult emotions in healthy ways, and to lay the groundwork for healthy relationships with themselves and with others. Teens like talking to me because I take them and their emotions seriously. Parents like working with me because I help their kids take ownership of what they can control while making peace with the things they can’t. My work with children and teens often centers techniques from narrative therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and my training in EMDR provides an additional tool when working with adolescents who struggle with intrusive thoughts about the things they’ve experienced.

Couples

At first glance, the couples I see appear to be thriving. Life is hectic but happening, and despite how much they’re juggling they seem to make it work. But beneath this glossy surface, many partners are wrestling with burnout, resentment, and past hurts that leave them disconnected and disheartened. Many are struggling with profound differences in upbringing that create friction in the day-to-day. Others are impacted by one or both partners’ ADHD, anxiety, trauma, or substance use, and those conditions have begun to feel like an unwelcome third party in the relationship. I help these clients find the courage to be honest and open with one another about how they’re feeling, where it’s coming from, and how it’s affecting everyone involved, often using techniques from Emotionally Focused Therapy as well as the work of John and Julie Gottman. Once we’ve established a space of safety and teamwork, my couples build skills and confidence in communicating, solving problems, and tuning into one another in a connected and mindful way.

Children & Families of All Ages

Many families come to me after significant changes like merging or dissolving households, a major health event, or a shared loss have shaken the way members understand and connect with one another. This may coincide with natural transition points as children grow and parents age, when the strategies that previously kept everything running smoothly suddenly start creating conflict. Alternatively, sometimes the “kids” are all grown up, but present day challenges are aggravating old wounds that never healed. I work with families to explore how the needs, roles, and expectations of each person are changing, while helping them work through the hurts that still leave them feeling small, helpless, and angry. Together we’ll create an environment where all family members can better communicate and support one another while advocating for their own individual needs. I often draw on techniques from attachment-based therapy, structural family therapy, and narrative therapy, in addition to general systems theory.

Working With Me

My goal is that you’ll leave sessions feeling enlightened, fortified, and motivated to make positive change, taking accountability for your mental health and the choices ahead of you.

I’ve learned through experience that I do my best work when I bring my personality into the therapy room. I am a curious person by nature with a constant need to learn and grow. I am genuinely interested in my clients and their passions, and I occasionally reference some of my own (reading, gardening, “geek” culture, and my dogs). I make frequent use of metaphor, pop culture references, and humor, but I’m also not afraid to sit with my clients in their pain. My less glamorous habits include thinking out loud, mixing metaphors, and swiveling back and forth in my office chair without realizing it. 

If you’re ready to make changes in how you understand your past, navigate the present, and move into your future, I’m ready to support and challenge you through that process. Let’s get started!