“You Will Get Through This: A Mental Health Tool Kit—Help for Depression, Anxiety, Grief, and More” was published by lead author Julie Radico, Psy.D., ABPP, ’06.

There is a growing need for access to mental healthcare in the U.S. With a shortage of healthcare professionals that leads to long wait times, Julie Radico, Psy.D., ABPP, ’06, is hoping her new book will give individuals access to self-help techniques.

As coauthor of a new publication, “You Will Get Through This: A Mental Health Tool Kit—Help for Depression, Anxiety, Grief, and More,” Radico wanted to create an evidenced-based book that was affordable, accessible, and that really broke down the common types of issues that people faced.

Written with co-authors Nicole Helverson, Psy.D., ’06, and Charity O’Reilly, LPC, the book takes a holistic biopsychosocial approach that integrates the biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors affecting mental health. “You Will Get Through This” illuminates the road to wellness with the goal of allowing people to take charge of their own healing.

“There is a shortage of mental health clinicians in the country and in Pennsylvania, especially the rural areas,” Radico said. “But people don’t need to wait three months to learn about a skill, like a grounding or deep breathing technique, that they could be using on a daily basis.”

A Philadelphia native, Radico attended St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls where in a junior AP psychology class she fell in love with the specialty.

“One of the reasons I went to La Salle was because of the psychology program,” Radico recalled. She remains connected to 20th and Olney. “I have come in to talk to Dr. Randy Fingerhut’s PsyD class annually for the past four-to-five years to help demystify integrated care and to talk about leadership, as I have had the privilege to serve in several leadership positions in psychology. La Salle kept me engaged and gave me a great experience that positioned me to be successful.”

After receiving her B.S. in psychology from La Salle, Radico went on to earn an M.S. in counseling and clinical health psychology, a second M.S. in clinical psychology, and a Doctor of Psychology in clinical psychology all from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is now a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania. She has also achieved American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) certification in clinical health psychology, a mark of excellence and commitment to providing high-quality psychological services.

Radico completed her postdoctoral training in family medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and then joined as a faculty member at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. It was these experiences that planted the seed for the book.

“One of the things that I noticed again and again was the huge access issue for mental healthcare from the patients I saw in the family medicine clinic, those I saw directly and those who I heard about while precepting residents,” she said. “We wanted to provide evidence-based techniques that we know from research work and wanted to demystify and translate them into strategies that people could use right away.”

The book addresses daily struggles such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder, ADHD, and insomnia. The goal is to help mitigate the impact of misinformation and growing barriers to mental health care, from long therapy waiting lists to high costs. Drawing on the techniques they use with their clients, Radico and her coauthors share coping mechanisms taught in therapy, step-by-step instruction on using these strategies in real life and overcoming common obstacles, and tips for communicating with loved ones about the challenges people are facing.

In her practice, Radico’s work focuses on helping professional women who feel less than discover how they are more than enough, through coaching, consulting, speaking, and therapy services. She has expertise in integrated behavioral health, curriculum development and teaching, policy creation, remediation for struggling learners, and direct observation and coaching for medical residents and faculty.

Radico has supported other women professionals through her roles in the Penn State Hershey Association of American Medical Colleges chapter of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS). She has also served on the steering committee for the Penn State Center for Women’s Health Research, on the Penn State Health Commission for Women, and as chair of the departmental group on Women in Academic Family Medicine (WAFM) to promote and support the career development of women in academic medicine.

Radico has published numerous refereed journal articles, peer reviewed online articles, and has made other contributions to professional psychology publications. Her other professional accomplishments include serving on the editorial board for the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, election to president of the American Academy of Clinical Health Psychology, and chairing and serving on multiple committees of the American Psychological Association, the Society for Health Psychology, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and the Pennsylvania Psychological Association.

“The stigma around getting therapy and getting treatment is getting better, but we still have strides to make,” she said.