Julie L. Thorsheim

Education
• Master of Social Work, University of Illinois, Urbana, 1965.
• Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, 1963.

Licensures / Certifications / Memberships / Honors
• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), 1991 – Minnesota #4970
• Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW) – NASW
• Academy of Certified Social Workers – ACSW
• Certified as clinician and instructor in the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) graduate traineeship
• University of Illinois graduate fellowship
• Phi Beta Kappa

Employment
• President, KST Associates, since 1995. Offers introductory and advanced instruction and consultation in applying family systems assessment to large and small systems to empower clients and organizations in effecting desired growth and change and resolving conflict. Provides family sculpting equipment to individuals, schools, agencies and businesses, accompanied by instruction in range of applications to professionals working with families, communities, and organizations and within industry.
• Child and family therapist, Fairview-University Medical Center, 1987 – 2004.
• Independent contractor, Minnesota Psychological Resources, 1995 -1997.
• Field coordinator and instructor of social work, St. Olaf College, Fall, 1995.
• Field supervisor of graduate students in clinical social work from School of Social Work at the College of St. Catherine and University of St. Thomas, 1992, 1994 -95.
• School social worker, St. Peter Interdistrict Special Education Cooperative, St. Peter, MN, 1986 – 87.
• Mental health consultant, Headstart Program, Goodhue-Rice-Wabasha Community Action Center, 1985–86.
• Field representative, Social Ecology Resources, Inc., Northfield, MN, 1984 – 1986.
• Instructor in social work, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, 1981.
• School social worker, Faribault Public Schools, Faribault, MN, 1976 – 79.
• Caseworker, Illinois Children’s Home & Aid Soc., Champaign/Urbana, IL, 1965 – 1968.

Expertise
Consultation and training in assessment, therapy and supervision skills and techniques. Applies family systems model to small and large systems. International certification in the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique (KST) as clinician and instructor. Consultation includes collaboration with professionals in rural and urban settings in the U.S. and internationally with ethnically and economically diverse populations to develop contextual models for assessment and mediation.

Extensive background in providing individual, group, and family assessment and therapy as part of multi-disciplinary team. Functions included crisis management, case coordination and consultation. Demonstrated ability to connect with wide range of ethnic & socio-economic backgrounds & family structures. Experience in diverse settings: university mental health center, public schools, social service agency, psychiatric in-patient and outpatient, and private practice.

Presentations and projects with international focus
• International Social Work Conference: Global context– Local solutions, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, June 14-15, 2012. Thorsheim and Stein Hardeng presented, “Wooden it be nice? Using Family Sculpting in Social Work Practice–An International Tool for Brief Assessment and Intervention.”
• International seminar bringing together experts in use of the Kvebæk Sculpture June 14-15, 2009, culminating in an experiential conference, “Family Sculpting: An International Tool for Brief Assessment and Intervention” on June 16. Keynote address was by Dr. Anne Hollingworth, Sydney, Australia. Other presenters were Dr. Jean Giebenhain, St. Paul, MN, Dr. Thomas Thorsheim, Greenville, SC, and Julie Thorsheim. David Kvebæk of Lillestrøm, Norway sent a greeting, and Dr. David H. Olson, Professor Emeritus of the University of Minnesota, spoke of his meeting with Kvebaek back in the 1970s and of his delight that this conference was occurring. The June 16 event was co-sponsored by NASW-Minnesota Chapter and the St. Olaf College Department of Social Work and Family Studies, with additional support from the Olson Endowment, and was held in Northfield, Minnesota.
• J. Thorsheim was a delegate to the first U.S.-China Social Work Forum jointly sponsored by People to People Ambassador Program, the National Association of Social Workers, and the China Association of Social Work, Beijing, China, Oct. 31-Nov. 5, 2006.
Two presentations in China:
• Thorsheim, J. Nov. 1, 2006. Representational family sculpting for rapid and insightful assessment, treatment planning and intervention. By invitation of the U.S.–China Social Work Forum, to the Child and Family Section, Beijing.
• Thorsheim, J. Nov. 3, 2006. Using representational family sculpture in work with orphans to provide empowerment and to identify community resources in the Chinese setting. Presentation to staff of Beijing office of Children’s Hope International, Beijing.
Mwangaza: A partnership of education, health, family and faith (mwangazapartnership.org), a grass roots organization in Arusha, Tanzania, piloted a mediation program for women utilizing the Kvebaek genderless dolls to break the silence around issues of stigma and abuse, March 6-8, 2007. Over the previous two years, Thorsheim provided organization’s founder and consultant, Dr. Shoonie Hartwig, an introduction to the Kvebaek Tool, providing context-specific consultation around role-play and conflict resolution applications. Hartwig and Mwangaza staff then adapted the Kvebaek tool and technique to their Community Mediation program.

Other Presentations
• Thorsheim, J. July 16, 2013. Presentation, “Using the Kvebaek Family Sculpting tool (KST) in assessment and therapy” at Bluestem Center for Child and Family Development, Rochester, Minnesota, as part of an annual staff retreat focused on improving family-centered services.
• Thorsheim, J. February 22, 2013. Representational family sculpting for rapid and insightful assessment, treatment planning and intervention. Tulane University School of Social Work, New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Thorsheim, J. June 7, 2007. Representational family sculpturing for rapid and insightful assessment, treatment planning and intervention. St. Paul, MN, at 17th Annual National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Minnesota State Conference.
• Thorsheim, J. February 23, 2006. Presentation on Family Sculpting at Annual State Conference of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), New Mexico Chapter, Albuquerque.
• Thorsheim, J. December 1, 2005. Guest lecture and demonstration of Family Sculpture using Figure Placement technique with KST figures, University of Minnesota, School of Nursing, in graduate class in Advanced Practice Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing.
• Thorsheim, J., D. DoBell, and J. O’Malley-Laursen. September 28, 2005. “Family Sculpting and Asset-Mapping as a Framework for Treating Children and Their Families” at Annual Community Mental Health Conference, Duluth, Minnesota.
• Thorsheim, J. January 19, 2005. Family Sculpting Using the Kvebaek Sculpture Tool (KST); Clinical training seminar held at Southwest Mental Health Center, San Antonio, Texas.
• Thorsheim, J. January 20, 2004. Guest presentation on KST family sculpting to staff of Associates 2000, Rochester, Minnesota.
• Thorsheim, J. September 25, 2003. “Family Sculpture and Asset-Mapping as a Framework for Treating Children and Their Families” at Annual Community Mental Health Conference, Brainerd, Minnesota.
• Thorsheim, J. June 6, 2002. Family Sculpture – Using the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique for Assessment and Therapy with Individual Clients and Families. St. Paul, Minnesota at 12th Annual NASW-MN Conference.
• Thorsheim, J. and Barbara Kuhlman. April 24, 2002. Family Sculpture – Using the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique with Individual Clients and Families. Duluth, MN, at Conference sponsored by the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health.
• Thorsheim, J. (2002). Use of KST Family Sculpture with patients. St. Petersburg, Florida: St. Anthony’s Hospital Social Workers and therapists in Behavioral and Medical In-patient and Outpatient services.
• Thorsheim, J. (2001). The Kvebæk Sculpture Technique (KST): Tool to assess and treat relationships. Minnesota Community Mental Health Annual Conference, October 5, Brainerd.
• Thorsheim, J. and H. Thorsheim. Aug. 4, 2000. Poster Presentation: Storytelling: International Applications in Human-Systems Consulting, International Section, American Psychological Association Annual Conference, Washington, D.C.
• Thorsheim, J. May 5, 1997. Minnesota School Counselors Association conference, Workshop on Using the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique in the School Setting, Brainerd, MN,
• Thorsheim, J. Feb. 4, 1997. Workshop: Use of the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique in Assessment and Treatment in Clinical Practice, Stockton, California.
• Thorsheim, J., November 13, 1996.NASW Annual National Conference. Presentation on the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique for Assessment, Therapy, Supervision, Consultation and Research; Cleveland, Ohio.
• Thorsheim, J. April 23, 1996. Presentation: The Origin of the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique, by invitation of David H. Olson, Dept. of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota.
• Thorsheim, J. Workshop: Use of the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique in Assessment and Treatment, Minnesota Psychological Resources, Minneapolis, MN, Jan. 29, 1996.
• Thorsheim, J. Oct. 27, 1995. Workshop: Building Self-Esteem, MSSWA (Minnesota School Social Workers) annual fall conference, Brainerd, MN.
• Thorsheim, J. and Stein Hardeng. October 11, 1995. The History and Use of the Kvebæk Sculpture Technique, NASW National Conference; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Thorsheim, J. Dec. 1, 1994. Presentation: Innovative Techniques in Family Therapy, to Diakonhjemmet School of Social Work, Oslo, Norway.
• Thorsheim, J. Oct. 6, 1994. Keynote Address: Social Work Core Values, Child Welfare Conference sponsored by Northeastern State University and the Department of Human Services, Muskogee, Oklahoma.
• (Omitted presentations made from 1967-1994.)
• Hodgeman, N. and Thorsheim, J. 1966. A Comparative Study: Adjustment Reaction of Adolescence (Master’s Thesis.) Presented at Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Atlantic City, NJ.

Community
• Trustee, Laura Baker Services Association, Northfield, Minnesota.
• Member, St. Olaf College Social Work Program Advisory Committee.

KST ASSOCIATES website: https://kvebaeksculpting.com
(Former URL: www.HealthyHumanSystems.com)