About Us

Director
(she/her/hers)

Julie joined Counseling Services in 2011 and prior to becoming Director she served as Assistant Director of Counseling Services. She is a licensed psychologist and has a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky. Her research and practice interests include gender, racial, and sexual identities, as well as mindfulness, meditation, and health and wellness. Julie also has a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling and majored in Cultural Anthropology as an undergraduate student. Before joining OWU, Julie worked for several years in private practice in Columbus. During her graduate work, she received college counseling training from the University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, and had a yearlong pre-doctoral internship with the University of Akron. Julie emphasizes the inherent health and well-being of the clients she works with and utilizes a range of interventions to assist students with challenges that arise on their collegiate journey. Outside of work, Julie enjoys spending time with her family and relishes good food, music, and friends.

Staff Counselor
(he/him/his)

Simon is interested in helping his clients experience the present moment without judgment through body and emotion-focused awareness. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Addiction Studies from the University of Cincinnati in 2009 and his Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The Ohio State University in 2011. He completed an 18-month Gestalt theory and practice training program at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland in 2017. He is also trained in Prolonged Exposure Therapy, which is an evidence-based treatment for people struggling with symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Prior to joining Ohio Wesleyan University, Simon worked with a large and diverse population in both private practice and at a university counseling center. Simon continues to incorporate Gestalt, interpersonal process, client-centered, and motivational interviewing theories when working with his clients. He is an experienced generalist, with particular specializations/interest in alcohol and other drug use disorders/assessment, trauma, anxiety, depression, family of origin concerns, men’s issues, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Simon believes that each person’s unique experiences, cultures, and identities inform the therapeutic process. He strives to not make meaning for others and instead is interested in how his clients are experiencing their full range of emotions in the here and now.

Intern
(he/him/his)

Cheston Gray is a counseling intern completing his Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health at Capital University. He has experience working within middle school and adult settings. His clinical and professional interests include trauma based therapy, anxiety, depression, and addiction related issues. Cheston believes that counseling needs to be informed by compassion, humanistic understanding of the human condition and that all clients, colleagues, and students need to be appreciated for their inherent dignity, worth and their unique diversity constellation. He believes that all individuals should be empowered to speak up for what they need and that counselors should be social justice leaders who advocate on behalf of underserved populations.

Cheston works from a Gestalt and Logotherapy orientation with an emphasis on mindfulness and holistic wellness. In his free time, Cheston enjoys spending time with family, playing golf, traveling and watching Ohio State Football.

Office Manager
(she/her/hers)

Vicki is the department Office Manager and has been with the Counseling Services since 2001. She makes the office a friendly, welcoming experience, helps with scheduling, and is the general go-to person for students seeking services. Vicki has 25+ years of experience working in the field of mental health, seven of those years being with HelpLine, Delaware’s 24-hour crisis hotline. She is licensed as a Social Work Assistant by the State of Ohio. Vicki finds great satisfaction in her role of assisting Ohio Wesleyan students.