School psychologist Julie Robinson holds up her question cards, an activity she does with students so that they can reflect on their recent highlights as well as what they look forward to.
Julie Robinson
After working in different schools across the country, psychologist Julie Robinson is the newest addition to the psychologist team. Not only is she an avid learner and lover of outdoor activities, she is also interested in cooking.
Where have you worked before?
I’ve worked in New York, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Some of the regions I’ve worked in have had only around 5,000 students, but others are much larger, including FCPS. In fact, I’m quite amazed by the number of students and schools FCPS has.
Was being a psychologist something that you knew you wanted to do early on?
Going into college, I didn’t know that I wanted to be a psychologist. Then, I took a basic psychology class one year and that was it: I fell in love and started taking many different psychology classes. When the time to get a job came, I knew that a psychologist was the perfect mash-up of my passions and interests, and here I am today.
How did you end up at CHS?
Every few years, I get reassigned to a different school based on my interests and preferences. This time, I was reassigned to CHS, and everything is alright so far.
Why do you think many students don’t use their school psychologists?
I think many individuals don’t know about school psychologists, so they may not come to meet them due to that lack of exposure. I also don’t think that many students necessarily know what we do, so it may make them feel uncomfortable to talk to a school psychologist.
What exactly does a school psychologist do?
Think about a sports massage therapist for a sports team: their job is to help athletes get back in the game as soon as possible. When athletes have some kind of injury, that person works with them in certain ways to get them back on the field, court or wherever the athlete needs to be. School psychologists are like that too. We help students navigate whatever challenges they may be having and help them get back into the classroom, so that they can gain understanding from their teachers’ lessons. We do assessments, interventions, and support student mental wellness and academic achievement overall.
What is one of your personal strengths?
Humor. It’s one of my top strengths, and I like cracking jokes in order to connect with individuals. Other times I might smile or point something out that’s funny, and it really helps just lighten the mood. In fact, it’s one of my strengths that I’ve used today.