My name is Julia Aziz. I’ve been counseling, teaching, and facilitating for more than twenty-five years, and every person I’ve worked with has taught me something new. I am clinically trained as a psychotherapist and professionally trained as a spiritual counselor and ceremony officiant. My practice integrates counseling, writing, meditation, movement, natural elements, intuitive practice, and traditional healing tools. I’ve been greatly influenced by a deep love for nature, my Jewish upbringing and ancestors, the indigenous teachings and traditional medicine I have had the honor of learning, East Asian philosophy, transpersonal psychology, and all the wonderful mentors that have showed up throughout my life. I have also learned so much from my own vulnerabilities. They have taught me to choose authenticity, honor my own rhythms, and embrace the unknown.

Integrity is incredibly important to me. I don’t invite clients to do anything I don’t live or practice myself. My background includes:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Supervisor
• Ordained Interspiritual Minister and former Interfaith Hospice Chaplain with Hospice Austin and Girling Hospice
• 25+ Years of Counseling Experience and service work
• Author of When You’re Having a Hard Time: The Little Book That Listens and Lessons of Labor: One Woman’s Self-Discovery Through Birth and Motherhood
• Ordination through two-year seminary program in world religions and secular/interfaith ceremony facilitation (One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, 2003)
• Masters of Science in Social Work (University of Texas at Austin, 1999)
• B.A., Psychology with High Honors, Phi Beta Kappa (Colgate University, 1996)
• Consultant for integrative health organizations and former faculty at AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine
• Extensive studies and practice of mindfulness meditation in Thailand (Theravada tradition), Nepal (Mahayana Tibetan tradition), and the US (various practices) since 1996
• Completed two year supervised training in Clinical Hypnosis through the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist through the International Certification Board of Clinical Hypnotherapy.
• Certified by Marika Alvarado, Apache elder, as Traditional Healer through Of The Earth School of Indigenous Medicine
• Over twenty-five years of experience in movement practices and somatic forms of healing, including Middle Eastern bellydance, intuitive movement, and certification as a Body Choir Facilitator (2001).

If you’re wondering if we would be a good fit for working together, you can consider some of the principles that guide my practice:

• Though you may be struggling, there is nothing inherently wrong with you.
• There is something to learn in every dark night you are willing to face.
• Old fear patterns can be released. You can learn to center yourself no matter what’s going on around you and become your own best healer.
• When you are truly your own beloved, just about everything gets easier.

I believe the time of the expert is over. We can no longer put our healers and teachers on pedestals and hope they can fix us. We can no longer take responsibility for others’ emotions or try to fix anyone else. There is great opportunity for finding the wisdom and strength we need within though. We have entered a time for self-healing and empowerment. I am here to support you in your own process, whatever that looks like.

If you’d like to hear more, please subscribe to my newsletter. I don’t email too often, but will send seasonal reflections with more information on upcoming offerings. You are also welcome to read more on the blog or listen to a podcast interview if you’d like to get a better sense of who I am and how I work.