Julie Guild (Samitt) is the Co-Founder and Director of CEDAR. Built from years of clinical experience, CEDAR was founded on the belief that full recovery is possible—and that it can happen while people remain connected to their everyday lives, families, and communities. Julie leads with a steady, compassionate vision: to provide expert, evidence-based care in a setting where clients feel respected, understood, and equipped with the tools they need to move forward.

Julie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with advanced certification in Family-Based Treatment (FBT) through The Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders—founded by Drs. Lock and Le Grange, creators of the FBT manual. She is one of the few therapists in the nation with this distinction, and the only one in the Richmond area.

Her clinical expertise spans Partial Hospitalization (PHP), Intensive Outpatient (IOP), and Outpatient care, including a leadership role at Veritas Collaborative. She also spent nearly a decade teaching and supervising graduate students in Clinical Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Julie is CEDAR’s lead FBT clinician and supervisor, seeing almost exclusively teens and families due to her depth of expertise in Family-Based Treatment. She brings a special heart to her role leading CEDAR’s parent support group, where she helps caregivers feel empowered, informed, and supported throughout their child’s recovery. She also leads CEDAR’s program development efforts, including pioneering work in microbiome-informed treatment approaches.

When she isn’t at CEDAR—or improving its space and grounds—Julie loves spending time in the Richmond community. You’ll often find her out on the Buttermilk Trail, Belle Isle, or the James River with her husband, their dog, and their two adult children when they’re home from their many adventures. She also enjoys supporting local RVA businesses—from farmers markets to bakeries and restaurants.