Julie Stark, LCSW

02/08/2026

02/08/2026

02/08/2026

02/03/2026

01/29/2026

Some conversations don’t get planned.
They happen because life shows up anyway.

This episode was recorded without an outline, without a script, and without pretending we had answers. Julie shares what it’s been like to receive a diagnosis that no one expects and what it’s been like to be held by a community she didn’t know was already there.

We talk about the ripple effects:

on identity, on friendship, on business, on letting people show up in ways you didn’t realize you needed.

This isn’t a story about “staying positive.”

It’s about staying honest.
About letting support in.

About what happens when life interrupts the plan and you don’t face it alone.

🎙️ New episode of Licensed 2 Spill coming soon!

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Listen on Spotify, Apple or YouTube.

MentalHealthPodcast

01/28/2026

01/28/2026

Carl Jung believed suffering isn’t random.
It pushes us toward individuation, toward becoming who we actually are.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Many people cling to their neurosis.

Not because they love suffering.
But because it’s familiar.
Predictable.
Identity-confirming.

Your anxiety.
Your trauma story.
Your relationship patterns.
Your “this is just how I am.”

They may hurt.
But they also protect you from the unknown parts of yourself.

Growth requires stepping into territory where your old identity doesn’t work anymore.

And that feels like death to the ego.

So yes, people often choose familiar suffering over unfamiliar expansion.

At Root & Rise, we don’t shame that.
We explore it.

Because therapy isn’t about eliminating pain.
It’s about outgrowing the version of you that needed it.

That’s Mental Wealth-Care™.

01/28/2026

You get one nervous system, one brain, one lifetime.

Investing in your mental health isn’t a splurge, it’s strategy.
High-quality therapy doesn’t just make you feel better in the moment.

It improves:

• your relationships
• your income-earning potential
• your confidence
• your boundaries
• your emotional stability
• your ability to respond instead of react
• your physical health

And yes, you get what you pay for.

Experience, advanced training, trauma specialization, and clinical depth matter. The right therapist doesn’t just listen… they guide, challenge, reframe, hold you accountable, and move you forward. When you invest in yourself, you are not paying for “sessions.”

You are paying for a life you can actually live in.
Pay yourself first.
Healing compounds.

— Root & Rise Clinical Specialists

Where transformation is the return on investment.

01/20/2026

Meet Suzanne D’Addona, LMSW — Supervised Clinician ✨

Suzanne earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Adelphi University, becoming a Licensed Master Social Worker in 2020. Her path into the field began hands-on, working as a paraprofessional at a special needs school, an experience that cemented her passion for advocacy, empathy, and meaningful change.

Since then, Suzanne has worked with a wide range of populations, including children, teens, young adults, and older adults in both short- and long-term care settings. She also brings experience in family counseling, supporting parents and caregivers and addressing the full ecosystem surrounding each individual, not just the person in the room.

Currently, Suzanne is completing her clinical hours as a supervised clinician at Root & Rise Clinical Specialists, where she receives intensive mentorship and hands-on training from our leadership team. She approaches her work with curiosity and intention, absorbing skills, perspectives, and evidence-based tools that support whole-person healing and long-term mental wealth.

Suzanne offers in-person sessions for men and women, working with late teens, young adults, divorcees, and seniors. Her style is compassionate, grounded, and client-centered, with a strong focus on meeting people exactly where they are and helping them move forward in a way that feels sustainable and real.

We’re proud to support Suzanne as she continues to grow into her clinical voice, and even prouder to have her as part of the Root & Rise team 🌱