This professor is no stranger to starting over. She took on the challenge to re-evaluate her life and start a new chapter becoming a therapist.
Her Campus: Why did you decide to become a psychologist?
Julie Frumin: Technically, I am a therapist for marriage and family counseling. I was always fascinated by people and have always been empathetic towards others. Before I became a therapist, I was an actress. I had a BFA in Musical Theatre and worked in New York on Broadway and Off-Broadway. Then I hit a quarter life crisis at 25 and decided to see a therapist. I realized that I wanted to change gears and switched to the west coast where I attended Pepperdine University to take my first steps to become a therapist myself.
HC: What previous jobs have you held before working here at Cal Lutheran?
JF: Besides my theatre jobs, I first worked in Anaheim at a court ordered drug and alcohol addicts recovery called Hope House. Then, I worked at MHA of OC in Garden Grove helping chronically mentally ill adults. Then I worked at Western Youth Services in Anaheim and after that at Kaiser in family and children therapy where I was at for three years. Currently, I have started my own private practice this year in Westlake Village, CA where I do couples therapy. It is my first business and it makes me feel like an adult.
HC: Out of your experience, what has been the most interesting job you have had?
JF: The most interesting would the group therapy at Kaiser. It was exciting to see people helping each other solve their own problems. This is something I like about teaching, as well. I like seeing my students support each other with different ideas.
HC: What has been the most interesting experience here at CLU?
JF: I think it’s been relearning to be a college student. I’ve been around too many extroverts for a long time and realize many students are and are not uncomfortable by the topic I am teaching. I am learning to shape and mold the class for the students of this topic.
HC: What do you do away from school?
JF: Besides my private practice, I hang out a lot with my toddler. We go to the yard or the park. I take him on stroller strides as well as Mommy and Me swim. My private life runs around him right now.
HC: How do you find a balance between your work life and your home life as a wife and mother?
JF: It is hard to find the right balance. I am always questioning what I am doing and pushing and pulling by making boundaries for my time in order to make sure I am staying balanced. I will always reassess the balance because what might be working right now might not work in the next week. I also surround myself with other worker moms who understand the struggle so it normalizes what I am doing.
HC: Is there something interesting about yourself that no one knows about?
JF: Probably not because I say everything. Everybody knows everything about me.