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 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 been alongside people through the ups, the lows, and everything in between. That work taught me to listen closely and pay attention to what people carry. I bring that same grounding into the systems and organizations I support today. I design experiences, environments, and tools that strengthen connection across generations.
My interest in memory started early. I grew up with my grandfather’s stories, my grandmother’s rituals, and a college job in a funeral home where memory and emotion were part of everyday life. Those moments shaped how I notice what matters and how people hold meaning.
Now, my work focuses on helping people stay connected to themselves, to one another, and to the histories that shape them. I use sensory storytelling, human-centered design, and applied psychology to turn research into practical tools and experiences.
Through SenStoria, I’ve built programs like Objects of Meaning, Character Clubs, and AgeLink, each exploring how story, memory, and identity move through families and communities. I also lead the Immersive Experience Psychology (IXP) Lab, where we study attention, motivation, and memory in designed experiences and publish tools that organizations can use.
If you’d like to follow the work, 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 sits at the intersection of psychology, design, and aging culture.
For Individuals & Communities
-
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 memory into lasting insight. → Learn More -
A Space to Remember
Simple practices and environments that support emotional memory in daily life. This digital companion offers prompts, reflections, and sensory rituals to help keep what matters close.
→ Learn More -
Coaching & Facilitation
Individual sessions and small group dialogues on transition, legacy projects, grief, or midlife reframes. Each is designed to turn lived experience into shared meaning. → Reach Out
For Organizations
-
Age-Inclusive Experience Audits
A qualitative review of your program, service, or product through the lens of aging, emotional memory, and connection. You’ll receive clear, actionable recommendations shaped by cognitive accessibility, sensory design, and intergenerational needs. -
Rapid Research Studies
Short, focused studies that explore how people experience digital loneliness, emotional memory, identity, or connection within your setting, providing patterns, stories, sensory cues, and emotional drivers that can shape design and communication. -
Memory, Story & Connection Labs
Half- or full-day sessions for leaders and teams. These labs explore how memory, emotion, and story influence connection, trust, and belonging. Participants learn tools and practices they can apply immediately, along with next steps for design or implementation.
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
- Remembering Together: The Emotional Life of Dementia
- Designing for Emotional Legacy
- Neuroaesthetics: The Art and Science of How We Feel
- Empathy by Design: Psychology for Stronger Connection
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
