Leah Leslie
Hello! I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) serving individuals in Pennsylvania. I have a master degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and postmaster in Art Therapy. I hold an undergraduate degree in Social Sciences with a major in Psychology.
I lean heavily on body-mind medicine with a bottom-up approach; working to address the entire person (not just a symptom but the WHOLE person) and addressing problems at their core.
I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Level 2 (CCTP-II) demonstrating mastery in trauma care. I have worked with individuals from age 4 up to 70+ years old. I aim to provide individualized trauma informed care to those seeking help to overcome individual barriers. I have a therapy dog named Apollo.
First session
In our first session together, I like to provide time for simple question and answer where we can begin to build rapport and explore what therapy will be like and whether it is a good fit. I believe in listening to your gut feeling, after all, it is your second brain, and after a consultation you can then make an informed decision about whether this therapeutic alliance will work for you and whether you wish to pursue therapy with me. The success of therapy is reliant on a healthy therapeutic relationship between client and therapist.
Strengths
My diverse experience in the field allows me to use an eclectic approach, tailoring treatment planning to each client's individuals needs. I lean heavily on body-mind medicine with a bottom-up approach; working to address the entire person (not just a symptom but the WHOLE person) and addressing problems at their core. Everyone is unique and there is never a "one size fits all" approach. I offer a safe, strength based, individualized approach to therapy. I believe deeply in the phrase "Therapist lead, client driven".
Ideal clients
I enjoy working with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, however, I have found my niche as a trauma specialist working with children and adults alike to overcome their traumatic pasts and empower them to have agency in their present while creating their envisioned future. I aim to help individuals untether themselves from their trauma and find meaning in their experiences in order to end unnecessary suffering.
Treatment methods
Mind-body approach
I believe that the mind and body are ever connected; what impacts the mind emotionally, affects the body physically. All disease, whether mental or physical in nature, stems from dis-ease in the mind. Thus when we treat disease I believe in treating it at it's origin; a bottom-up therapy model aimed at targeting trauma (upsetting/confusing events) and it's secondary impacts which may cause upset to the physical body (somatic complaints, GI distress, etc.).
EMDR
EMDR is another bottom-up approach that aims to target physiological impacts of trauma and help to clear or neutralize trauma impacts by way of bilateral stimulation. EMDR is very helpful for those who have a history of trauma (upsetting/confusing events) and experience physiological impacts such as feelings of panic/distress and or individuals who experience blocks in talk therapy approaches. EMDR helps to move through barriers in which talk therapy struggles to alleviate on it's own.
Trauma Informed Care
It is my opinion that most ailments of the mind and body spawn from trauma experiences and therefore, trauma informed care is a must when addressing individual needs in therapy. Trauma can be experienced on a spectrum; what is traumatizing to one may not be for another and thus it is not the event per se but the reaction to it. Trauma informed care is the precursor to developing and establishing rapport as well as identifiable treatment goals and objectives that meet the individual at their current level of functioning, scaffolding treatment goals as they progress and develop a greater window of tolerance through gradual exposure.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
The cognitive triangle best represents the CBT approach; how we think, influences how we feel and how we feel, influences how we behave. All behavior is motivated by something. Helping clients to understand this connection via their personal experience helps to create personal insights and gain awareness of cognitive distortions, cognitive dissonance, and the relationship between their own thoughts, feelings and responses perhaps contributing to negative patterns of interactions with themselves or others. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is considered the gold standard for OCD because it is the most researched, most effective, and first‑line treatment recommended by major mental health organizations, directly targeting the core cycle of obsessions and compulsions. ERP is a specialized form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in which a person gradually faces obsession‑triggering thoughts or situations while resisting the compulsive actions they would usually perform to reduce anxiety. The goal is not to eliminate distressing thoughts, but to break the cycle where obsessions cause anxiety, and compulsions temporarily relieve it, reinforcing the loop.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Identify and heal childhood wounded parts, re-role protector parts and engage in self-leadership.
Location
Virtual sessions
In-person sessions296 Chestnut St, Meadville, PA 16335, Suite 202
Identifies as
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Serves
Licensed in
- PennsylvaniaLicense PC014695