Julie Askew, PhD

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Hello, I’m Julie Askew, Ph.D., also known as Dr. Jules. I started out as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist in London and Brighton back in the early 1990s, specializing in working with clients with anxiety disorders, and eventually my work took me to America where I completed my PhD and then spent ten wonderful years training and doing clinical supervision for Masters level therapists at a university in New York. Along the way I have been a Bereavement Counsellor for CRUSE, and a Counsellor in the NHS and mental health clinics. I trained for two years at the Maudsley Hospital in London to work with relationship and sexual issues. I have been a sex educator, a sex therapist, a marriage therapist, a parent educator, a teacher and lecturer, a tenured professor, and a researcher. I have been invited to present at international conferences and have published on subjects such as Couples and Viagra, Parenting Practices, Sexual Risk Taking in Young People, and have a book in process entitled Hysterectomy & Sex: What Women and Their Partners Need to Know. I have written and taught classes on Family Lifecycles, Sexual Health, Family Therapy, Parenting, and Child Development amongst others. My Master’s degree is in Psychotherapy and my Ph.D. is in Child and Family Development with Marriage and Family Therapy specialization.I am a mother of two young children, and a recent transplant from frenetic New York to rural France.  I now maintain a private therapy practice where clients can consult with me either in person or via video link. You can follow me on Facebook, or read my regular blog posts online at English Informer in France.

My Approach to Therapy
Clients often ask me how I work. This question can be somewhat of a challenge to answer, due to the fact that my therapeutic approach with each client is integrative and varied, depending on their issues and needs. I draw from a pool of theoretical positions covered throughout my training, including Person Centered, Cognitive Behavioral (CBT), NLP, Structural Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Experiential theories. My goal throughout is to provide a safe, confidential and supportive space where clients are helped to define and achieve their aims. My core belief is that clients have an innate ability to gain insight, grow and change their life’s course, even though they may often feel they are stuck in repeating patterns and losing hope.

Therapy can be active and direct, requiring homework and intention, when the treatment calls for it. It can also be a quiet and reflective space, providing solace and healing from the stresses of everyday life. At all times therapy is a collaboration, a partnership towards helping you to move forward.

Common Problems I Work With In Therapy
  • Relationship issues
  • Family conflict
  • Anxiety & panic disorders
  • Parenting problems
  • Self-esteem and confidence issues
  • Bereavement
  • Anger management
  • Depression
  • Sexual issues
  • Divorce
  • Body image
  • General feelings of being in crisis and unable to cope
  • I provide a LGBTQ safe space.

My Training
  • Two year diploma in Counselling with CSCT - 1991
  • Former bereavement counsellor with Cruse Bereavement Care
  • Diploma in NLP and Ericksonian Hypnotherapy from British Hypnosis Research - 1993
  • NLP Practitioner with Sensory Systems Training - 1995
  • Introduction to Family Systems Work, Prudence Skynner Family Therapy Clinic, Springfield University Hospital, UK - 1997
  • Two year postgraduate Diploma in Couples Counselling & Sex Therapy from Maudsley Hospital & Institute of Psychiatry, London - 1999
  • Master's Degree in Psychotherapy from South Bank University, London - 2001
  • Former Counsellor with the NHS in Brighton, UK
  • PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Georgia, USA (five years) - 2006
  • Formerly accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
  • Formerly accredited by the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in New York, USA (license # 000751)
  • Clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) – since 2009
  • Approved Clinical Supervisor (AAMFT) - 2 year training
  • Certified Health Coach with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition – 2012

Clinical Experience
  • 10/93 - present: Therapist in private practice for individuals, couples and families
  • 9/07-2016 - Clinical supervisor and classroom instructor for Master's level Marriage and Family Therapy students and interns, Hofstra University, New York
  • 8/01- 12/04 Marriage and Family Therapist, McPhaul Family Therapy Clinic, University of Georgia
  • 1/02 – 12/04 Marriage and Family Therapist and Sex Therapist, Samaritan Counseling Center, Athens, GA
  • 7/99-1/01 Honorary Psychotherapist and Sex Therapist, Maudsley Hospital, London
  • 4/96-4/01 Funded in-house Counsellor/Psychotherapist for doctors’ group practice, Brighton & Hove Health Authority, England
  • 5/92-11/93 Bereavement Counsellor, Cruse Bereavement Care, England

Publications
  • In Process: Manuscript for book entitled: Hysterectomy & Sex: What Women and Their Partners Need to Know
  • Askew, J., & Zam, M. (2013). In sickness and in health: The effects of hysterectomy on women’s partners and intimate relationships. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy (12), 58-72
  • Askew, J., Rampersaud, D., Solano, I., Donaldson, J. (2012). An exploration of multi-systemic factors contributing to sexual risk taking in minority suburban youth. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 7(4)
  • Askew, J. (2009). A qualitative comparison of women’s attitudes toward hysterectomy and myomectomy. Health Care for Women International, 30, 1-15.
  • Askew, J. (2007). Breaking the taboo: An exploration of female university students’ experiences of attending a feminist-informed sex education course. Sex Education, 7(3), 251-264
  • Askew, J. (2007). [Review of the book An insider’s view of sexual science since Kinsey. Written by Reiss, I.L.]. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy 33(4), 378-380
  • Davey, M., Goulish, L., Askew, J., & Childs, N. (2005). Adolescents coping with mom’s breast cancer: Developing family intervention programs. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy 31(2), 247-258
  • Askew, J. & Davey, M. (2005). [Review of the book Sex acts: Practices of femininity and masculinity. Written by J. Harding]. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 34(5).
  • Askew, J. (2004). Reproductive success and the social construction of frigidity: Do women go off sexual intercourse because they are ill? Sexualities, Evolution & Gender, 6(1), 55-57
  • Askew, J. & Davey, M. (2004). Women living with men who use Viagra: An exploratory study. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, 3(4), 23-42
  • Askew, J. (2004). [Review of the book Sex matters for women. A complete guide to taking care of your sexual self. Written by S. Foley, S.A. Kope, & D.P. Sugrue]. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 15(1).
  • Davey, M., Askew, J.,& Goddette, K. (2003). Parent and adolescent responses to non-terminal parental cancer: A retrospective multiple-case pilot study. Families, Systems, and Health, 21(3), 245-258
  • Davey, M., Stone Fish, L., Askew, J., & Robila, M. (2003). Parenting Practices and the transmission of ethnic identity. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29(2), 195-208

Professional Presentations
  • Askew, J. (2011, February). The big ‘O’? Orgasm after hysterectomy. Invited presentation at the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), Scottsdale, AZ
  • Askew, J., Rampersaud, D., & Donaldson, J. (2010, November). An exploration of minority youth and sexual risk behaviors in the Uniondale – Hempstead area. Poster presentation at Hofstra University’s School of Education, Health and Human Services Conference on Public Health Challenges and Achievements: 1935-2010, Hempstead, NY
  • Askew, J. & Zam, M. (2010, April) Women’s sexuality after hysterectomy. Presentation at Society for Sex Therapy and Research, Boston, MA
  • Askew, J. (2007, August). Useless uterus syndrome: A comparison of women’s attitudes toward, and experiences of, hysterectomy and myomectomy as treatments for uterine fibroids. Poster presented at the International Academy of Sex Research, Vancouver, Canada
  • Askew, J., (2005, December). Living in the Viagra age: The female partner’s perspective. Invited presentation at The Women’s Health Clinic and Office of Women’s Health, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
  • Askew, J., & Amir, N. (2004, November) Sexual cognitions and sexual response in women. Poster presented at the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, LA
  • Askew, J. (2004, October) Breaking the taboo: An exploration of the impact of feminist informed sex education on female university student. Poster presented at the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, Atlanta, GA.
  • Askew, J. (2003, September). Human Sexual Anatomy. Invited guest lecture for Psychology 3260: Human Sexuality, University of Georgia
  • Askew, J. (2003, June) Sexuality Across the Lifespan. Invited guest lecture for CHFD 2100: Introduction to the Family, University of Georgia
  • Askew, J. (2003, April) Male Sexuality. Invited presentation to the Peer Sex Educators, Health Center, University of Georgia
  • Askew, J. & Camp, T. (2003, March) Sex and the Holy City: Sexuality in the church today. Invited seminar for The Pastoral Counseling Association of Georgia, hosted by Emory University Health Care Center
  • Askew, J. & Davey, M. (2003, February) Sexual Issues and Couple Therapy. Invited clinical seminar presented to the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Georgia
  • Askew, J. & Davey, M. (2002, May) Women Living with Men who use Viagra: A Qualitative Study. Workshop presented at the 34th annual conference of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, Miami, Florida
  • Askew, J. & Davey, M. (2002, April) Women Living with Men who use Viagra. Invited presentation to Georgia Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, Athens, Georgia
  • Askew, J. (2002, February). Female Sexuality. Invited presentation to Women’s Studies department, University of Georgia
  • Askew, J. & Oswalt, S. (2001, October) Women’s Sexual Health and Sexuality. Invited presentation to Graduate Women’s Consortium, University of Georgia