Julie Stark, LCSW

WHO WE HELP 🌿

Therapy isn’t only for when everything is falling apart.

Sometimes you’re functioning. Working. Parenting. Showing up. Getting things done.

And still… something isn’t working.

Maybe you’re:

• Successful on the outside but overwhelmed underneath
• Tired of anxiety running in the background
• Repeating relationship patterns you’re ready to change
• Processing trauma or experiences that still affect you
• Navigating divorce, grief, or a major life transition
• Parenting a teen and unsure how to best support them
• Feeling disconnected from yourself or your relationships
• Burned out from always being the one everyone relies on
• Ready for deeper growth, not just another coping strategy

At Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, our team works with individuals, couples, teens, young adults, and families across a range of specialties.

We thoughtfully match clients with the therapist whose expertise and approach best fit what they actually need.

You don't have to wait for a crisis to decide you want something to change.

📍 In-person: Port Jefferson, NY + Boca Raton, FL
💻 Telehealth: NY • FL • CT • MA

The best therapists never stop doing their own work.

Therapy isn't something we believe should only happen on one side of the room.

At Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, our therapists understand what it means to be human first, to have blind spots, patterns, emotions, relationships, hard seasons, and growth of our own.

We value clinicians who remain willing to learn, reflect, seek consultation, continue their education, and yes—experience therapy themselves.

Because exceptional therapy requires more than knowing what to say.

It requires knowing when your own stuff is entering the room.

It requires curiosity instead of ego.
Self-awareness instead of assumption.
And the humility to recognize that becoming a great therapist is never really finished.

Our clients aren't looking for perfect people.

They're looking for therapists who can sit with the complicated parts of being human without needing to run from them.

We ask our clients to do the work. We believe we should be willing to do it, too.

That's part of what we believe makes therapy different at Root & Rise.

📍 In-person + virtual therapy | NY • FL • MA • CT

🌿 You don't need to have the perfect reason to start therapy.

Many people wait until they're completely overwhelmed before reaching out for support.

But therapy isn't just for crises.

It's for the person who can't shut their mind off at night.
The college student struggling to adjust.
The professional battling burnout.
The couple feeling disconnected.
The parent carrying everyone else's needs.
The person who simply knows something needs to change.

You don't need a diagnosis.
You don't need a rock-bottom moment.
You don't need to justify your pain.

Sometimes the only reason you need is wanting things to feel different.

At Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, we believe therapy is about growth, self-awareness, healing, and creating a life that feels more aligned, not just surviving difficult moments.

📍 Serving NY • FL • MA • CT
💻 Virtual therapy available

🌿 Burnout is not a personality trait.

Somewhere along the way, many people came to believe that exhaustion was just part of being successful.

That constantly pushing harder, doing more, carrying everyone else, and ignoring your own needs was somehow a badge of honor.

It's not.

Burnout isn't ambition.
Burnout isn't resilience.
Burnout isn't proof that you're strong.

Burnout is what happens when you've been surviving for too long without enough support, rest, boundaries, or recovery.

It can look like:

✨ Feeling emotionally exhausted no matter how much you sleep
✨ Losing motivation for things you once enjoyed
✨ Increased irritability or overwhelm
✨ Difficulty concentrating
✨ Constant mental fatigue
✨ Feeling disconnected from yourself, your work, or your relationships
✨ Going through the motions instead of actually living

If you've convinced yourself that being stressed, overwhelmed, and depleted is "just who I am," it may be time to take a closer look.

You don't have to earn rest.

You don't have to wait until you're falling apart.

You don't have to carry everything alone.

At Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, we work with professionals, caregivers, entrepreneurs, parents, healthcare workers, and high achievers who are ready to stop operating in survival mode and start reconnecting with themselves.

📍 Serving NY • FL • MA • CT
💻 Virtual therapy available

🌿 Anxiety & Stress Management
🌿 Burnout Recovery
🌿 Trauma Therapy
🌿 Life Transitions
🌿 Couples & Relationship Therapy
🌿 Young Adult Support
🌿 Holistic & Integrative Counseling

Because healing isn't about doing more.

Sometimes it's about finally allowing yourself to do less.



💬 What's one thing you wish you gave yourself permission to rest from? 👇

🌿 Thinking about therapy but not sure where to start?

One of the biggest barriers to getting support is simply not knowing what happens next.

At Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, we believe finding the right therapist shouldn't feel overwhelming. That's why every client journey starts with a thoughtful screening process designed to help us understand your goals, needs, and preferences before matching you with the clinician who is the best fit.

Because therapy isn't one-size-fits-all—and neither are the people seeking it.

📍 Serving NY, FL, MA & CT
💻 Virtual therapy available

🌿 What are the most common reasons people call us?

Not because they're "broken."

Not because they've hit rock bottom.

Most people reach out because they're tired of carrying everything alone.

Some are struggling with anxiety that never seems to shut off.

Some are feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or emotionally exhausted.

Some are navigating relationship challenges, life transitions, grief, trauma, or difficult family dynamics.

Others simply know something feels off, and they're ready for support.

The truth is, you don't need a crisis to benefit from therapy.

You just need a desire for things to feel different.

At Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, we help individuals, couples, young adults, and families navigate life's challenges with personalized, trauma-informed, and evidence-based care.

📍 Serving NY • FL • MA • CT
💻 Virtual therapy available

✨ Anxiety & Overwhelm
✨ Burnout & Stress
✨ Trauma & Healing
✨ Relationship Challenges
✨ Life Transitions
✨ Young Adult & College Student Support

If you saw yourself somewhere in this post, you're not alone.

🌿 What actually happens during a therapy screening call?

A lot of people assume it's a therapy session.

It's not.

Our screening call is a brief conversation designed to help us understand your goals, answer questions, and determine which clinician may be the best fit for your needs.

We'll talk about:
✨ What brings you to therapy
✨ What you're hoping to work on
✨ Previous therapy experiences
✨ Scheduling and availability
✨ The type of therapist and approach you're looking for

Because finding the right therapist shouldn't feel like guesswork.

At Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, we believe that thoughtful matching creates stronger therapeutic relationships—and better outcomes.

📍 Serving NY • FL • MA • CT
💻 Virtual therapy available

Most parents don’t hesitate to get help for their child.

They hesitate to choose the right kind of help.

Because not all adolescent therapy is the same.

Working with teens requires more than being “relatable.”

It requires the ability to build trust, hold boundaries, and understand what’s happening beneath the surface.

At Root & Rise, our clinicians work with adolescents in a way that is:

• Developmentally informed
• Emotionally attuned
• Respectful of both the teen and the parent

We help adolescents:
– Navigate anxiety, stress, and emotional overwhelm
– Build confidence and emotional regulation
– Process identity, relationships, and life transitions
– Feel understood without feeling judged

And we help parents:
– Better understand what their child is experiencing
– Learn how to support without escalating conflict
– Feel less alone in the process

This isn’t one-size-fits-all care.
It’s thoughtful, individualized, and grounded in real clinical expertise.

If your child is struggling, or something just feels off, you don’t have to navigate it alone.

We’re here when you’re ready.

📍In-person & virtual sessions available
🔗 Inquire via link in bio