Coping with HS Senior Year Stress Group

It’s totally normal to feel a bit overwhelmed right now - high school is a rollercoaster, and senior year comes with its own set of anxieties. Here's the lowdown on what you might be stressing about:

College Decisions:

The stress of completing complex application processes.

The pressure to select the “right” college and program.

The anticipation of admission decisions and fear of rejection

Academic Performance:

Balancing challenging coursework to maintain GPA.

Navigating anxiety surrounding SATs, ACTs, final exams and AP testing.

Future Uncertainty:

The unknowns of post-graduation plans and career paths.

Concerns about financial stability and student loans.

Social Pressures:

Fears of not fitting in or feeling isolated in college.

Navigating changing friendships and social dynamics.

Family Expectations:

Striving to meet familial expectations and aspirations.

Balancing the desire for independence with family life.

Emotional Wellbeing:

Coping with the stress of transitions and significant life changes.

Dealing with the emotional toll of saying goodbye to familiar environments and routines.

Navigating senior year and the uncertainties ahead can be a real challenge but you don’t have to go it alone. In this group you will

learn how to manage anxiety through cognitive restructuring, reduce avoidance behaviors that lead to negative consequences, and

build coping skills and tools to manage daily stress.

Julie Hingsbergen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California, offering tele-health appointments statewide. She works with college students and adults navigating the complexities of early adulthood and beyond. Julie’s therapeutic approach helps clients gain clarity and develop effective coping strategies to overcome life’s challenges. Her goal is to create a safe, empathetic space where clients feel empowered to address their concerns and make meaningful progress toward greater well-being.

Julie’s practice is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), an evidence-based approach for helping individuals identify and transform negative thought patterns. She supports clients in addressing social and relationship dynamics, career-related anxieties, managing work-life balance, and finding purpose in their professional and personal roles. By fostering self-awareness and providing practical tools, Julie empowers her clients to manage stress, cultivate healthier thought processes, and build emotional resilience.

Julie specializes in treating anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety, and specific phobias. She has advanced training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD through the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy and the International OCD Foundation. Julie is also a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional and has received specialized training from the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors. This training equips her to offer evidence-based, compassionate care for conditions such as excoriation (skin-picking) and trichotillomania (hair-pulling).

Julie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from San Francisco State University in 1999 and her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Dominican University of California in 2020.