Julia Burgdorf, RMHI
Therapist
Welcome to Helping Moon Counseling and thank you for visiting my profile! I believe that trust is the foundation of the therapeutic relationship. Whether you want an objective ear after consulting with friends, or you are coming to talk about events you have rarely ever spoken of before. it takes an immense amount of bravery and vulnerability. I want you to know that you are safe in my therapy room, and it is impossible to disappoint me! I believe that the therapy experience is most successful when we are willing to challenge our current mindset and behaviors. I also believe that we are more willing to challenge our mindset and behaviors with someone we trust. Sometimes, due to our past experiences, it can be difficult to trust others, or hear constructive feedback. We become comfortable in the monotony of life, and implementing change feels impossible. I listen actively and observe carefully to make sure that I am challenging you at an appropriate pace, while simultaneously providing gentle support. When we discuss your goals, it will be a team effort. After all, I believe that you know yourself best!
My name is Julia Burgdorf and I was born and raised in Rockville, Maryland. I moved to Baltimore, Maryland to pursue my Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Communication studies. After graduation, I spent some time serving the Baltimore community as an in-home Psychiatric Rehabilitation Counselor. After a year of experience under my belt, I knew I was ready to take the next step and begin my Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The beach has always been a grounding place for me, so I decided this was the best time to chase my dream of living in Florida. When I arrived, I was blessed with the opportunity to work with Helping Moon Counseling, as I think it is important for therapists to mesh well with their work environment to give you the best possible care. In my free time, I enjoy taking my dog to the park or the beach and seeing family and friends.
I enjoy working with young adults to build their self-efficacy, reflect on current and past relationships, and explore trauma. If you find that you are a “people pleaser” and feel guilty saying no, I’m here to help you build boundaries that will compliment your vision of healthy relationships. Sometimes, as we work on boundaries, we might also evaluate types of communication (passive, aggressive, assertive). I have found that learning assertive communication can help us to feel more comfortable setting boundaries. Reflecting on relationships may lead to the exploration of trauma and attachment styles. Learning your attachment style can help you to better understand the relationship between your thoughts and actions. Together, we connect dots and find patterns that will help you see the bigger picture. Along the way, I will remind you to speak kindly to yourself. I believe that the way we speak to ourselves greatly affects our day to day lives, so we might work on replacing negative beliefs about ourselves and the world, with more positive and uplifting verbiage. If you’ve ever seen positive affirmations on social media and had trouble implementing them, you’re not alone! I believe the key to addressing negative self-talk is tailoring these affirmations to your personality and lifestyle. I am always open to feedback from clients, and I believe your feedback acts as the building blocks on our foundation of trust. There are copious skills and techniques to choose from, and while you may enjoy some, others might not be your style. That’s okay! We will work together to find the techniques that work best for you.
Just as I find trust to be the foundation of the therapeutic relationship, I believe that self-care is the foundation of peace. If you are working, going to school, or feel overwhelmed by life’s obligations, it might not feel possible to find the time for self-care. I work with you to find your “baseline” of self-care, meaning I like to evaluate how much self-care you engage in now. If the answer is, “None!”, that’s not a problem. Our goal will be to implement small, but consistent acts of self-care to get started. We will consider your preferences, schedule, and access to resources to ensure that we build a sustainable self-care plan that meets your needs.
I am a Pre-licensed counselor directly supervised by our Clinical Director, Nina Barela. I have a passion for working with individuals struggling with symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, adjustment, and trauma. I have recently developed an interest in young men’s issues, especially through reflection of cultural expectations of men. I work from a person-centered approach and utilize techniques from Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). If we both find it appropriate, we may incorporate Ego state therapy to help you explore trauma. I believe that clients are incredibly resilient and capable of change if they are offered the tools and support they need to accomplish their goals. I’m proud of you for taking this first step and look forward to hearing from you soon!