When I was 19 years old I was employed as a psychiatric technician in a state hospital who would play chess in the day room and hand ball every chance I got. I got to experience the raw side of institutions and cultivate an attitude early on that can be summed up as: It is wiser to solve your problems in a healthy manner on the streets than to have problems take you places you do not want to go. I saw first hand the trajectory of some of my peers in skateboarding, music, and the consequences of when the line between functional and functional impairment gets crossed. Ultimately, I decided to return to school and found the therapist role to be one that could benefit from my past experiences in mental health, keep me rooted in the community, and sustainable for me.

Fast forward 10 years and I ended up interning at the group practice owned by Scott Polenz while simultaneously providing group therapy onsite with a local probation department. The group practice experience gave me an opportunity to see A LOT and begin my own framing and conceptualization of cases within a cognitive behavioral and structural family therapy lens. My mentor Scott was a therapist for 30+ years and afforded me a ton of insight and wisdom in the therapy process. The groups I facilitated were lively, engaged, and a testament to the power of feedback within the group process and the role of room work in therapy. I also got to have a several year period where I got to ride my bike to work which was a personal dream after years of long and foggy commutes.

In February 2025, my mentor, Scott Polenz, passed and shared the words “Pay it forward” to me from his hospital bed. At this time, I was picking myself up from losing my father a couple years prior, burnout, and contemplating what the next move would be. I reflected on this, honed my energy, and have decided the next step is to begin venturing into my own practice which will include in-person, online, individual, couples, and group therapy in Fresno, California. I plan to stay within walking distance from the office we practiced at for years (Shaw & West), keep in-person therapy relevant in the digital age, and continue to bring quality therapy to my neighborhood.

At present, I provide therapy to residents of California, online, and through the group practices I am contracted with. Feel free to contact me direct at: (559) 242-6670 or utilize booking below through Headway or Grow Therapy. You can view the Grow therapy link below if you would like to see a more detailed depiction of services rendered. I may have more availabilities than posted and ask that you please call first so we can have a quick consult and confirm the appointment time and expectations for first session.

https://growtherapy.com/provider/k0gfi7jmuode/justin-r-stargaard

https://care.headway.co/providers/justin-stargaard?utm_source=pem&utm_medium=direct_link&utm_campaign=128119