Dr. Julie Prutsman, Au.D., CH-TM
Owner & Founder
Dr. Julie Prutsman is a Doctor of Audiology, tinnitus specialist, and founder of Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center, with nine locations across Colorado and Arizona. She has spent more than 20 years treating patients with tinnitus, hearing loss, hyperacusis, and other auditory conditions. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the American Tinnitus Association (ATA), where she contributes her clinical experience to the organization's work in tinnitus research, education, and advocacy.
Hearing healthcare has been part of Julie's life for as long as she can remember. Her grandfather entered the profession in the 1950s, making her a third-generation hearing healthcare professional. She grew up around the family business and eventually worked in the family's practices in Colorado and Las Vegas before developing a particular interest in tinnitus.
How Tinnitus Became Her Specialty
Early in her career, Julie became increasingly interested in patients who had been told nothing could be done about the ringing or buzzing in their ears. She understood that tinnitus was complicated, but she also recognized the field was changing and that patients needed access to clinicians who followed those developments.
In 2002, she pursued specialized training with Dr. Pawel Jastreboff, the neuroscientist who developed the neurophysiological model of tinnitus and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT). That training shaped her understanding that tinnitus involves not only the auditory system but also the brain's attention and emotional responses.
She earned her Master of Arts in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder and her Doctor of Audiology degree from Salus University. She also holds the Certificate Holder in Tinnitus Management (CH-TM) credential.
Over the years, Julie has followed new developments in auditory neuroscience, sound therapy, hearing technology, and tinnitus management. She's particularly interested in the way two patients with nearly identical hearing tests can have very different experiences with tinnitus. That variability is one reason she places so much importance on a thorough evaluation and understanding each patient's history before recommending treatment.
Building Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center
In December 2011, Julie opened Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center to create the kind of practice she believed tinnitus patients needed. Rather than treating tinnitus as an occasional complaint in a hearing aid practice, she wanted it to be central to the clinical work.
Sound Relief has since grown to nine locations across Colorado and Arizona, serving thousands of patients with tinnitus, hearing loss, and decreased sound tolerance. Some patients travel from outside the region specifically for tinnitus care.
Julie's responsibilities have changed as the practice has grown. Today, she spends much of her time recruiting, training, and mentoring Sound Relief's Doctors of Audiology, reviewing complicated cases, and working with the clinical team on evaluation and treatment protocols.
She pays close attention to the differences between routine hearing care and specialized tinnitus treatment. The training an audiologist has received, the number and variety of tinnitus patients they see, the diagnostic tools available, and the time spent understanding each patient can all influence the quality of care. Those considerations remain central to how Sound Relief operates.
Her Work With the American Tinnitus Association and Research Community
Julie was elected to the American Tinnitus Association Board of Directors in 2021. The ATA supports tinnitus research, public education, and advocacy for people affected by the condition. Her board service connects her with others working to improve the understanding and management of tinnitus.
She also stays involved with the wider tinnitus research community. In September 2026, Julie attended the Tinnitus Research Initiative Conference in Berlin, Germany, where researchers and clinicians from around the world gathered to discuss current research and unanswered questions.
One of the things she finds most interesting about tinnitus research is how often a new discovery opens up an entirely different set of questions. Advances in auditory neuroscience have helped explain some aspects of tinnitus, but there is still much to learn about why it develops, why it affects people so differently, and which treatments are most appropriate for particular patients.
Through The Sound Relief Podcast, Julie has also had opportunities to speak with researchers and clinicians, including Dr. James Henry, whose work has contributed significantly to tinnitus-management research and clinical education. She enjoys bringing those conversations to patients and other interested listeners, particularly when the research challenges conventional thinking or helps explain something encountered in clinical practice.
Giving Back: The Sound Relief Project and Homes of Hope
Julie's work outside the clinic is an important part of her life. After years of seeing patients who needed hearing or tinnitus treatment but could not afford it, she founded The Sound Relief Project, a charitable initiative that helps provide hearing technology to people facing financial hardship.
The program collects donated hearing aids and tinnitus sound generators, which Sound Relief's audiologists refurbish and fit for qualifying recipients. It allows people to put hearing technology they no longer use into the hands of someone who needs it, while also giving recipients access to professional care.
Learn more about The Sound Relief Project.
Julie is also involved with YWAM's Homes of Hope, participating in home-building projects for families living in poverty. These annual trips have taken her to communities in Mexico, where she works alongside other volunteers to help build safe, stable housing. Julie and her family have also participated in projects in Tijuana alongside students and staff from Colorado UpLift.
For Julie, these trips are a chance to contribute in a hands-on way and share the experience with her family. Whether she's helping someone receive hearing care or spending time on a construction site, she values being directly involved.
Tinnitus Is Personal for Julie
Julie experiences tinnitus in one ear following loud noise exposure. Although her experience differs from that of many of the patients she treats, it has given her a personal understanding of what it means to live with a sound others cannot hear.
She has also seen throughout her career that tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress don't always go together. Some patients find relatively soft tinnitus extremely disruptive, while others can live comfortably with a much more noticeable sound.
This is part of what continues to interest her about the relationship between hearing, auditory processing, and the brain's response to tinnitus. It also shapes how she approaches patient education, treatment planning, and discussions about realistic outcomes.
Education, Credentials, and Professional Affiliations
Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) — Salus University
Master of Arts in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences — University of Colorado Boulder
Certificate Holder in Tinnitus Management (CH-TM) — American Board of Audiology
Board of Directors — American Tinnitus Association, elected 2021
Specialized training with Dr. Pawel Jastreboff — Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, 2002
Founder and Owner — Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center, established 2011
Founder — The Sound Relief Project
Volunteer — YWAM Homes of Hope
Colorado Audiology License — AUD.0000798
Outside of Work
Colorado has always been Julie's home. She grew up in Highlands Ranch, graduated from Highlands Ranch High School, and still calls Colorado home with her husband, Patrick, and their two children, Ethan and Hanna.
Julie and Patrick make quite the team, both at home and at Sound Relief, where Patrick serves as General Manager and co-owner. When she's not immersed in tinnitus and hearing healthcare, Julie loves a good book, hitting the ski slopes, traveling, and spending time with family. She's also passionate about giving back, and some of her family's most memorable adventures have involved rolling up their sleeves and building homes for families in need. For Julie, combining family time, travel, and a chance to make a difference is pretty hard to beat.
Learn More About Dr. Julie's Work
American Tinnitus Association Board Profile
