Julie Hansford Franco

Chances are that if you are visiting our BetterHelp community you are struggling in some aspect of your life. Seeking out support can be scary and daunting, but finding a therapist that can provide a safe space to support growth and healing can make life a bit easier. Congratulations on taking the first step in your journey to wellness! Having an objective therapist that you can depend on to help you overcome life’s barriers can be so beneficial. My name is Julie Hansford Franco and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of counseling experience with a Masters (UNC-Chapel Hill) and Undergraduate (Meredith College) degree in Social work. My counseling style is warm, nonjudgmental, direct, and goal oriented. I value the working relationship with my clients and really take the time to get to know you in order to provide the best care. I have extensive training in treating trauma, anxiety, depression, adoption, parenting issues, and relationship difficulties. During our sessions, we will work collaboratively to navigate life’s challenges. I primarily utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (often referred to as CBT) in addition to pulling from other evidence informed treatments that I may find useful in addressing your needs. CBT has years of research supporting evidence in the effectiveness of improving functioning for individuals in a variety of areas such as trauma, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and relationships. CBT explores the interactions between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and how unhealthy thinking patterns can lead to unhelpful behavior and feelings. In utilizing CBT, we will work to identify your unhealthy thinking patterns and ways to address these patterns to improve your overall functioning. Additionally, we build and toolbox of coping skills to use during stressful times and build confidence in your abilities overall. If this approach seems like a good fit in what you are looking, I look forward to our partnership. I am confident that therapy will help you to improve your mental wellness so that you can live life to its fullest.