When I was 19 years old I was employed as a psychiatric technician in a state hospital and 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 decided to return to school and found the therapist role to be one that could benefit from my past experiences working in mental health and build upon my knack for communicating and working with people.

Fast forward 10 years and I ended up interning at the practice of Scott Polenz, LMFT while simultaneously providing group therapy with a local probation department. The private practice experience gave me an opportunity to see a lot and begin framing and conceptualizing cases with cognitive behavioral and structural family lens. My mentor, Scott was a therapist for 30+ years and afforded me a ton of insight and wisdom in the therapy process, human experience, and the opportunity to make my footprint as a local therapist.

Simultaneously, I worked with probation and facilitated groups that allowed me to experience the the power of feedback within the group process, the role of room work in therapy, and create a space for lively and engaged group therapy. We ran a solid program for six years and I am proud of the what I learned working there, the people I worked with, and the group experiences I bring with me.

In February 2025, my mentor, Scott Polenz passed and shared the words “Pay it forward” to me from his hospital bed. I reflected on this long and hard before choosing to venture into my own practice which now includes: in-person, online, individual, couples, and group therapy in Fresno, California. My office remains within walking distance from our old office at (Shaw & West) and I am proud to keep in person therapy relevant in an era of online and AI.

I am proud to provide therapy to residents of California, online, in person, and both through my my own office and by group practices I contract with. Feel free to contact me direct at: (559) 242-6670 or email me direct at Justin@StargaardTherapy.com.