I work with individuals and organizations on aging, memory, and story. I study how culture, systems, and design shape the ways we connect and remember. Then I turn that research into human-centered experiences and tools.
Together, we create experiences that bring people closer.
Julie Watson, PhD
Media Psychologist
& Social Gerontologist
IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU
Hi! I'm Julie,
For 25 years, I’ve worked with people at the moments that matter. My early clinical work taught me how people make meaning in the face of change. Today, I apply that depth to systems. I design experiences, tools, and environments that support emotional connection across generations.
I grew up listening closely: my grandfather’s stories, my grandmother’s rituals, a teen job in a funeral home where memory and emotion were always present. Those moments trained my attention. They shaped how I observe, model, and teach.
Today, I design experiences that strengthen empathy and preserve memory across generations.
I blend research and practice through sensory storytelling, human-centered design, and applied psychology. These methods open space for meaning, connection, and imagination, translating insight into action..
Through SenStoria, I’ve built programs like Objects of Meaning, Character Clubs, and AgeLink. Each explores how story and memory shape identity, how we relate across generations, and how legacy becomes shared culture.
I also lead the Immersive Experience Psychology (IXP) Lab, where we study attention, motivation, and memory in designed experiences, then publish tools teams can apply.
If you want to explore these ideas, I share weekly reflections on Storyfeeling, my Substack about how we remember, connect, and belong.
OFFERINGS
Ways to Work Together
I design research and experiences that help people and organizations connect across generations and through life’s transitions. My work operates at the intersection of psychology, design, and aging culture.
For Individuals & Communities
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The Storyfeeling Series
A four-part journey into how we feel, shape, share, and keep our stories. From sensing emotion in the body to re-authoring meaning, building empathy, and creating legacy, each phase invites reflection and connection—turning personal memory into insight that lasts. → Learn More -
A Space to Remember
Create simple practices and places that keep memory alive in daily life. This digital companion offers ways to reflect, tell stories, and build small rituals that honor what has been lived and keep what matters close.
→ Learn More -
Guided Facilitation
Indessions and small group dialogues on transitions, legacy projects, grief, or midlife reframes. Each is designed to turn lived experience into shared meaning. → Reach Out
For Organizations
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Age-Inclusive Service Audits
A focused review of your program, product, or service with clear, actionable recommendations for engaging older adults and reducing age bias. -
Rapid Research Studies
Short, applied studies on digital loneliness, memory, or connection within care, culture, or community settings. -
Executive Workshops & Connection Labs
Half- or full-day sessions for leaders in healthcare, education, and culture. Each lab explores how memory, emotion, and story shape connection—building empathy and designing for aging across generations. Participants leave with insights, tools, and next steps for application or scaling.
Thought Leadership
Speaking & Training
I speak and teach at the intersection of psychology, design, and lived experience. My talks connect research with real human stories and practical change. Topics include:
- Storyfeeling: The Psychology of How We Remember
- The Inheritance of Meaning: How Emotion and Memory Pass Through Generations, Shaping Identity, Empathy, and Legacy
- Designing for Emotional Legacy: How Story, Ritual, and Design Preserve Emotional Continuity Across Generations
- Neuroaesthetics: The Art and Science of How We Feel
- Empathy by Design: The Psychology of Building Emotionally Intelligent Experiences
- Generation Together: Designing Stories and Spaces That Bridge Age, Culture, and Identity
Every project begins with a conversation.
If you’re interested in a collaboration, workshop, or research partnership, complete the form below. I’ll reply within one business day.
Subscribe to Storyfeeling on Substack for reflections and field notes on memory, connection, and the psychology of belonging
Subscribe to Storyfeeling
