“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you”
~Maya Angelou
Specializations
- Relationship Concerns
- Life Changes
- Stress
- LGBTQ+ Affirmative
- Family Conflict
- Anxiety
- Low Self Esteem
Certifications
- B.S. in Psychology from Georgia Southern University
- M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Valdosta State University
- Associate Marriage and Family Therapy License
About Juliana Massey
I began my career in my home state of Georgia where I obtained my Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Valdosta State University. After graduation, I started working at a mental health hospital with adults and adolescents in the midst of the pandemic. From there, I went to an outpatient community mental health organization where I worked with low income and often houseless clients. Both of these experiences taught me how resilient humans can be even when faced with the darkest times. In August 2022, I moved to Utah. Now, I specialize in working with couples, relationship concerns, the LGBTQ+ community, life changes, stage of life adjustment, stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
I am a non-pathologizing therapist, which means I believe people are not defined by the problem they are struggling with. I do not perceive people as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ but instead simply doing their best in each situation given the context of their history and the situation they find themselves in. I see it as an honor to be invited into someone’s life story and to be trusted to work with them towards their therapeutic goals. I understand that people have varied experiences and come in with different goals/expectations. It is my job to meet someone where they are, and to work collaboratively at their pace.
Early in my career, I developed my foundation in Family Systems Therapy. This framework focuses on people’s relationship to others, themselves, and other societal systems. I also studied Narrative Therapy that is utilized to discover stories about ourselves that develop over time, identify the ones that are pathologizing, and rewrite them into more empowering narratives. Overall I use an integrative approach, which means I often use a variety of approaches that fit best for the client(s) I am seeing. Examples of other frameworks I pull from include: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, and more.
When I am not in the therapy room, I spend my time baking, exploring used book stores, traveling, drinking boba tea, and going on long walks with my dog Dolly.
