Meet Our Team
Julie Anne Steiger
Somatic Psychotherapist , Clinical Supervisor
CA SEP, LCSW #76510
Julie Anne Steiger is the Founder of A Human Sanctuary, a Somatic Psychotherapist, and Clinical Supervisor based in Idyllwild, CA.
She has dedicated her career to cultivating the tools and practices required for healing and growth after trauma. She is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, certified in Expressive Arts and Ecotherapy, and has over 10 years of experience using EMDR for transformative healing. Julie Anne blends the science of the nervous system, the creativity of the arts, and the wisdom of nature to guide people in reconnecting to their inherent wholeness and resiliency.
She is currently creating coursework in Deep Adaptation Therapy and offers groups in Resiliency and Collapse Acceptance. This work supports people as they navigate eco-anxiety, societal and environmental stressors, and parenting in times of deep change and uncertainty.
In her free time, Julie Anne can be found puttering around her yard, tending to her plants and animals, creating something out of her collection of nature items, or hiking with her partner, daughter, and puppies in one of the glorious spots around Idyllwild.
Lisa Mariano, Associate Social Worker
CA SEP, MSW, ASW #116793
Under the Licensed Supervision of
Julie Anne Steiger, LCSW #76510
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver
I provide a warm and accepting space in which you may unpack and explore complicated feelings, celebrate successes and growth, and stay present with what is currently unfolding in your life. Central to my practice is creating and exploring opportunities for us to connect with our precious, innate capacity for compassion, humor and wisdom. This will provide a safe ground, from which you may be honestly, courageously, steadily present with what has brought you to sessions, as well as what emerges once here.
I thoroughly enjoy collaborating with clients and bring a strong, creative, and flexible skill set from my 25+ years of working with children, adults, seniors, and families in a variety of settings, including as a hospice social worker.
It is an honor to do this work and I look forward to supporting and encouraging you on your unique healing journey.
"We're all just walking each other home." Ram Dass
I am able to accept Aetna, Evernorth, Cigna, United Healthcare, Optum, Blue Shield, or private pay with sliding scale availability. Sliding scale rate is $150-$225/hr session.
Micha Thomas, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
CA AMFT #120062
Under the Licensed Supervision of
Julie Anne Steiger, LCSW #76510
I view therapy as a path to building resilience, much like we see in the natural world to which we belong. In my work, I create a safe, supportive space where clients can uncover and accept wounds, old narratives, limiting beliefs, and the ways life and external structures have tamed their soul and spirit.
This process can be challenging and sometimes painful, but it also requires play. My approach is heart-centered, collaborative, and empowering, honoring both vulnerability and sacred timing. When needed, I serve as an active guide—challenging, supporting, and providing tools for growth.
I am able to accept Aetna, Evernorth, Cigna, United Healthcare, Optum, Blue Shield of CA, or private pay with sliding scale availability.
Itzel Barakat, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
CA AMFT #159412
Under the Licensed Supervision of
Julie Anne Steiger, LCSW #76510
Itzel Barakat (they/them) is a heart-centered therapist who believes healing
begins in authentic connection. Their approach integrates Narrative Therapy, Somatic Experiencing and Internal Family Systems (IFS), to help clients reconnect with their inner wisdom and restore balance between mind, body, and spirit. They hold space for deep, transformative work, where stories can be rewritten, emotions safely felt, and new possibilities for self-compassion and wholeness emerge
I am able to accept Aetna, Evernorth, Cigna, United Healthcare, Optum, Blue Shield, or private pay with sliding scale availability. Sliding scale rate is $150-$225/hr session.
Kassandra Mayhew, Associate Professional Clinical Counselor
CA AMFT #159534 , APPC ##21131
Under the Licensed Supervision of
Julie Anne Steiger, LCSW #76510
Therapy is an inherently intimate experience that can lead to deeper understanding, meaning making, and profound change. Maybe you’re here because of a significant loss, relationship challenges, or a shift in your responsibilities at work or in school. As a therapist, I lead with curiosity and deep care to enable safe exploration wherever we go with this work. In session, I aim to understand how we can work together throughout the therapy process, with the recognition that change is always happening and collaboration creates a safe harbor to begin addressing your needs and goals.
I am able to accept Aetna, Evernorth, Cigna, United Healthcare, Optum, Blue Shield, or private pay with sliding scale availability. Sliding scale rate is $150-$225/hr session.
"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great LOVE."