About Leah
I have always loved working with young children and have wanted to work with children and their families from a very young age.
Starting out at age eight as a babysitter to beginning my own private practice, I have loved learning and adding new skills to my toolkit that help me meet the specific needs of each child, parent, educator, or family that I work with.
I studied Human Development and Family Studies and Psychology at Indiana University and then on to my Masters in Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. My love of learning drove me to seek additional training in Trauma-Informed practices, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Parent Management Training, Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), Nurturing Parenting, Conscious Discipline, and Love & Logic. And most recently, a Post-Masters Certificate from Washington University in St. Louis in Parenting and Family Strengthening Approaches to Enhance Child Well-Being.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as well as a Certified Lactation Counselor. I am also currently pursuing another degree in Nutrition counseling so that I can provide more integrative, whole-person, support to my clients. Soon, I hope to be able to offer a specialization for families who are struggling with issues related to feeding and nutrition, or who wish to use food/mealtimes to promote wellness in their family.
My Approach
I believe that each person is inherently good. My role as a therapist is less about changing a child or a person and more about illuminating and supporting what is already there.
Although I believe strongly that all people deserve support to live happy, healthy lives, I am especially passionate about early life. I see how important early life experiences are to lifespan development and how powerful it is to attend to emotional, social, and mental well-being from the beginning.
In our work together, I believe we can create a foundation upon which a child can access lifelong resilience and joy, experience internal fulfillment and meaning in their lives, learn and grow to their greatest potential, and participate fully and positively in their families, communities, and word at large.
Sometimes (most times), in order to nurture a child's development, we must begin by nurturing our own. Parenting and educating children is incredibly important and also incredibly challenging. I take both truths seriously and for that reason, my practice is oriented more towards providing the support and information that adults needs in order to ultimately help their child or student thrive.
What Does My Work Look Like?
I work with all types of children, parents, families, educators, and institutions to change the world one childhood at a time.
With educators and institutions, I provide an array of consulting services such as trainings, seminars, and professional development opportunities that equip professionals with tools and resources to best support optimal child development. Additionally, I offer social/emotional curriculum development, classroom management support and observation, teacher training, program development, and much more. Learn more about consulting services here.
With parents, we help our children, and change the future, by attending to daily parenthood challenges and joys. I offer education, coaching, and therapeutic support to make sure parents have everything they need to be happy, confident people who are capable of raising and nurturing themselves and their children to be resilient, joyful, and have the capacity to live great lives.
I make an effort to break down the stigma of seeking help by meeting with my clients wherever they feel most comfortable. Sessions can be virtual, in-home, at your favorite coffee shop, or a walk in the park. I have transitioned away from traditional "talk therapy" and have entered a space where I can help families more directly through a variety of individualized services. I am here to offer therapeutic yet practical and intentional support and education. I offer virtual or in-person brainstorming and problem-solving sessions, behavior consultations, developmental support and feedback, resource referrals, and customized Q&A sessions. Read more about all the services I offer here.
With children, I offer services that support social and emotional development, teach coping skills and emotion regulation, and help children gain a more positive sense of self.
I work with parents to determine what therapy should look like in order to best meet the needs of their specific child but commonly, to set a child up for optimal development, attend to behavioral concerns, or address social/emotional development, it is best to equip the parents (or educators) with the knowledge and tools they need to best support their child directly. My goal is to provide long-lasting and sustainable support that can change a child's life for the better and oftentimes, this can occur best through a parent. Please visit my Events and Classes Page to keep an eye on opportunities for your child to come learn with me and follow along on social media to stay up-to-date as well.