About Julie Weigel, LMFT
Your Lafayette Family Therapist with 25+ Years of Experience
Meet Your Counselor ⇨
Family dynamics can seem impossible to manage, particularly when it comes to a child's disrespectful behavior in public or a teen who has withdrawn into their room, seemingly forever. If it's all feeling hopeless and you're seeking effective strategies to restore harmony, know that you are not alone.
As a counselor with 25 years supporting families like yours, and someone who has navigated and grown from my own challenging family dynamics, I understand the kinds of dynamics you face and the desire for a more peaceful home environment.
My Journey to Family Therapy
My path to becoming a family therapist wasn't traditional, but it led me exactly here - where I needed to be. After a decade in graphic design, I realized I craved more meaningful work that combined my lifelong interest in people, healing, and the arts. While pursuing theater, I discovered drama therapy—the perfect fusion of my passions and years of personal growth work.
Having personally benefited from therapy and the 12-steps, I understood healing from the inside out. This foundation, combined with my natural interest in diversity and human connection, shaped my approach to therapy. As a mother of biracial children (now young men) and someone who lived and taught English in Asia, I bring cultural interest, humility, and a deep appreciation for each family's unique story.
My Therapy Philosophy: Person-Centered and Embodied
I believe each person has wisdom within. My role isn't to fix you, to impose an agenda, but to practice self-awareness, cultural humility, and attune accurately to your goals. I pay attention to both what your words and your body communicate. In this way, I can facilitate your growing self-awareness, choice, and ability to assert yourself while determining what is within and beyond your control. With that knowledge, and the courage and skill you will be developing, you will become more intentional and effective in creating the relationships that you desire.
My drama therapy training taught me an embodied, experiential approach. Rather than just talking about problems, drama therapists pay attention to feelings, sensations, and metaphors that are then brought to life through embodied play and interaction. The use of a visual, experiential method helps clients know themselves, each other, and heal in deeper way, This method accesses parts of all of us, but can be especially valuable when working with children and teens who may struggle to express themselves verbally.
Examples of instances where I might use my particular ability of bringing these subtle nuances and metaphors (that naturally emerge in therapeutic conversations) to life include:
-a parent describing a feeling using language like "I'm walking on eggshells" or
-a teen talking about being "stuck in quicksand."
I don’t overlook these as just random expressions, but rather see them as windows into deeper understanding and opportunities. I might invite dialogue and visualization about these metaphors, always attending to your body’s cues that this might hold deeper interest or not. In some cases, we might even bring metaphor to life further through a physical enactment like a role play, designed deliberately to enhance conscious awareness, explore options, or build skill with assertiveness. This subtle fine art of trusting and reflecting back the innate wisdom in your own language and imagery helps create those "aha" moments that lead to lasting change.
Playing with children, in child-centered play therapy, for 25 years has ensured that I stay playful, embodied, humble, intuitive, and spontaneous in my work. Even in online sessions with children, I maintain this relaxed, playful child-centered demeanor. They are encouraged to move around freely, which can be healing after having spent so many hours seated in Zoom classrooms and expected to pay attention, during the pandemic.
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Extensive Professional Experience
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2002 with a Master's degree in Psychology with emphasis in Drama Therapy from California Institute of Integral Studies.
Community Mental Health Background (2002-2022)
For 20 years, I served families throughout Contra Costa County through Children's Mental Health, working in:
Schools and family homes
Clinical settings
Community locations
Crisis intervention and residential care coordination
I've worked with clients ranging from those with mild concerns to more severe cases, requiring (or returning from) hospitalization or residential care. This extensive experience with complex emotional and behavioral issues developed my expertise with distressed teens, children, and their families.
Specialized Training & Expertise
Drama Therapy: Additional year of training in drama therapy trauma treatment approaches
Narrative Therapy: One of the last groups of therapists required to pass an oral MFT exam by choosing a theoretical orientation as a lens to analyze a case study. I used this approach, which was especially appealing for a drama therapist, in that it involves reauthoring the story clients tell about their identity and problems, as well as externalizing problems, which can be done through enactment.
Group Facilitation: Extensive experience leading groups, including teens in recovery and incarcerated men—requiring the development of confidence and thinking-on-my-feet skills
Foster Care System: Deep understanding of complex family dynamics and trauma
Parenting Education: Years of teaching through community mental health, adult education, and Kids' Turn (for divorcing families)
Areas of Specialization
Family Therapy & Parenting Support
Positive parenting techniques and reflective listening skills
Working with parents of children with special needs or emotional/behavioral challenges
Supporting families through divorce and co-parenting challenges
Trans youth and family support
Trauma & Loss
Supporting families after death or illness of a parent
Childhood trauma therapy using play and drama therapy techniques
International crisis support (trained earthquake volunteers to work with survivors in Nepal, 2015)
Couples & Individual Therapy
Couples counseling and coparenting sessions, addressing family-related relationship issues
Parenting therapy as a highly effective strategy to help children
Substance abuse treatment background
My Approach with Your Family
I am rooted in family systems theory, child development, positive parenting techniques, addiction treatment, somatic therapy, and drama therapy. Together, we will:
Identify underlying issues contributing to family conflict
Learn healthier patterns and greater self-awareness
Develop respectful, clear communication skills
Create practical solutions that fit your family's values
Focus on strengths and positive qualities already present
Every family is unique, and I tailor my methods to suit your specific circumstances and goals—always with an emphasis on strengths and positives.
Why Families Trust Me
Experience That Matters: Having navigated my own divorce while teaching at Kids' Turn, I learned through both teaching and personal experience. This dual perspective helps me understand what families face from multiple angles.
Cultural Sensitivity: My international experience and diverse family background bring cultural awareness to our work together. Training in cultural sensitivity was ongoing when working in community mental health.
Proven Results: Over 25 years, I've helped countless Lafayette families break free from cycles of worry, self-doubt, and conflict to rediscover joy in family life.
Collaborative Approach: I work closely with parents as partners in the healing process, recognizing that you know your children best.
Convenient Online Therapy Throughout California
Although my private practice is now strictly online, I don't let that get in the way. My relaxed and playful demeanor, combined with experience in drama and play therapy, creates an engaging therapeutic environment, even through a screen.
Evening and Weekend Sessions Available
Understanding that Lafayette, Walnut Creek, and other families in California juggle demanding schedules, I offer flexible scheduling when it works for your family.
Having done years of my own personal growth and therapy, I am prepared to be fearless as I accompany you to the emotional depths to which you might need to go. Whether you're facing behavioral challenges, communication breakdowns, or need more effective discipline techniques, I'm here to provide guidance and support.
Ready to restore peace and mutual respect in your home?
Call today for a free 30-minute consultation to discuss how we can work together to help your family thrive.
Serving families online throughout California, with deep roots in Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Orinda, and the San Francisco Bay Area.