My name is Julia Wessels and I have been in the counseling field for nearly 20 years. I began my career as an intern working with victims of Domestic Violence, which led to my first job as a Shelter Assistant in this field. I completed my BA in Sociology in 1994 from the State University of New York, College at Oneonta. After graduating, I continued wok there, for a short time, before moving to Arizona to continue my education. My move to Arizona was originally intended to ensure my return to school, however, instead it began a lesson in life and a journey that spanned a few years outside of my field, but which would ultimately bring me to where I am today.

It took a few years, for my realization that I would require more education, so I returned to school in 2001. I attended and completed my Master of Art’s in Counseling at the University of Maryland, University College which was based in the UK. This was a true opportunity, and one I found would work for me, while my husband was in the Air Force. During my last year of study, I began my graduate practicum and internship at a Substance Abuse Day Program, which would provide a completely different and uniquely global perspective in my field. Once I graduated in 2004, I was hired as a counselor and continued working at Focus Counselling Services, until returning stateside with my husband in December of 2005.

Once returning to the US, and after living abroad for almost 5 years, I began working as a group counselor, facilitating Diversion classes for offenders. Shortly after that, I began working as a crisis intervention therapist from 2006-2012, gaining significant knowledge and on the job training as a resource for individuals struggling with mental health and chemical dependency needs. This was a significant source of training and knowledge for me and came at a time when resources were relatively unknown. I went on from there to an agency to provide individual and group therapy and psychoeducation from 2012-2019 at a treatment program and in an outpatient treatment facility. I have since worked with many different populations and in different settings and levels of care. My job responsibilities ranged from assessing need for treatment and/or level of care needed, for individuals in the community in crisis, to in-patient and outpatient assessment and treatment. I have worked with clients, as an Intensive Outpatient Assessment Therapist, Chemical Dependency Intensive Outpatient Group Therapist and as an individual therapist for the last 2 years at Del Soul Counseling. My wish is to continue my pursuit of caring and providing therapeutic treatment and support to those in need in any capacity, and community, in which I am privileged to serve.