Julia Linger, PsyD

Doctorate Level Therapist / Senior Clinician | julia@3rdwavetherapy.com | 919-886-4052

Do you find yourself feeling anxious or overwhelmed, or disconnected in your relationships? Are you struggling to feel like yourself after a significant loss or trauma, or a big life transition? I’m glad you’re here.

I provide culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care to help individuals and families navigate anxiety, relationship difficulties, parenting, complex trauma, grief and loss, identity exploration, body image difficulties, neurodivergence, and disability/ chronic illness.

In addition to therapy, I offer psychological evaluations for individuals seeking a clearer understanding of themselves and their emotional experiences. Psychological evaluations can be a helpful next step if you’re feeling stuck, noticing repeated patterns, or wanting more clarity to guide treatment, self-understanding, or next steps in care. My approach to evaluation is thoughtful, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based assessment practices, with an emphasis on making the process feel supportive rather than overwhelming.

Our work together, whether through therapy or evaluation, is grounded in my belief in your inherent resilience and capacity for growth. I am committed to creating a collaborative relationship and a space where you feel safe to share, reflect, and explore your emotions.

I am especially attuned to how intersecting identities shape lived experience. I am LGBTQ+ affirming, neurodiversity affirming, and work from a disability justice framework. I tailor my approach to each individual or family, drawing primarily from attachment-based and trauma-informed modalities, and integrating ACT, emotion-focused, feminist, and interpersonal approaches as appropriate.

I am passionate about helping clients develop deeper self-understanding and move toward lives that feel more authentic, connected, and fulfilling.

• Treatment Specialties

  • Anxiety

  • Maternal Mental Health

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • PTSD, Trauma, & Abuse Recovery

  • Depression & Mood Disorders

• Services Provided

  • Couples Therapy

  • Child & Adolescent Therapy

  • Individual Therapy

• Education

  PsyD in Clinical & School Psychology, James Madison University
  MA in Mental Health Counseling, Certificate in Child & Family Mental Health, Boston College
  BA in Psychology, University of Virginia

• Experience

  I have worked in a variety of settings, including college counseling, community mental health, public schools, therapeutic schools and camps, and pediatric neuropsychology. I have ten years of experience providing services to individuals and families across the lifespan, with particular expertise in working with neurodiverse individuals (including nonspeaking autism/ spellers), college students, children, and parents.

  I care deeply about providing research-supported care to my clients. I have engaged in research about interprofessional trauma-informed care, autism and family relationships, posttraumatic growth among youth, purpose development, and child development.

• Insurances

  Blue Cross Blue Shield

  Aetna

  North Carolina State Health Plan