Julie Swaine

As a social worker, queer woman, neurodivergent individual, and human, it is so important to me to be constantly learning everything I can from the world and those around me. As your therapist, it is my top priority to affirm to you that you are first and foremost the main expert of your life and experiences. I firmly believe that at the end of the day, we’re all just human beings doing our best to navigate this crazy, hectic world with the tools we have at our disposal. But there are always opportunities to find new tools that help us find strength and become better versions of ourselves as we move through our respective journeys. This is your journey, and I’m here to walk alongside you through the ups, downs, and everything in between. Throughout my educational and professional career, learning how to provide mental healthcare with the utmost integrity has always been at the forefront of my goals. An East Coast native, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Human Services at Stevenson University in Baltimore, Maryland, using my field experiences to learn all I could about providing honest, ethical, and compassionate care to children and teenagers navigating mental and behavioral health challenges through the use of CBT, DBT, and mindfulness interventions. After graduation, I made my journey to Phoenix, Arizona for a term of service with AmeriCorps Public Allies program to work with people experiencing homelessness - at which time I learned a great deal about the intersections of homelessness, mental health, addiction, and systemic barriers like racism, ableism, and classism to affordable housing and adequate mental healthcare. Since starting my MSW program at Arizona State University, I have continued to work with people experiencing homelessness, as well as returning to my work of providing social and emotional support to teens in the public school system. At the end of my graduate school journey, I also began my journey with Affirming You Therapy as an MSW intern, I began learning how to support my clients on their therapeutic journeys to understand better their gender and sexual identities, as well as navigating a heavily neurotypical world. I aim to help my clients navigate their growing and healing journeys through the use of a strengths-based, trauma-informed perspective.