I'm Leslie, LCSW, LCAC (She/her/hers)
I'm different than most therapists out there. Why is therapy with me different?
Well, in order to understand that, let me tell you the quick story of why I became a therapist.
I became a therapist largely because of my own experiences. I grew up with two parents who struggled with addiction and mental illness. This affected me deeply and in ways I wouldn't understand until later. In high school, I took a Psychology class and instantly knew I wanted to study the mind. I was absolutely fascinated by what made people tick, and I think deep down I wanted to understand myself. I knew then I wanted to be a therapist.
During high school and college, I turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with symptoms of depression and anxiety. I saw a therapist at the student counseling center, and she helped me see that I had developed an addiction to these substances, and that the drug and alcohol use were a symptom of the real problem: unresolved childhood trauma. In our sessions, I would tell her that I wanted to be a drug and alcohol counselor, and she would ask me how I would do that under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Finally, I realized that getting sober was necessary to continue on my journey of healing, and to accomplish my goal of helping others. I went to addiction treatment in 2012, and began working a strong 12 step program to stay sober.
Even though I was now sober, I felt stuck. I so badly wanted freedom from my childhood wounds which were ultimately leading me to sabotage my relationship and my success in life. I felt like my current relationship was failing, and I wasn’t enjoying school or work. I was plagued by a deep fear of abandonment, feeling horrible about myself, and not knowing how I would get out of this vicious cycle. I was sober, yet my partner and I were arguing often and I was afraid of losing everything. I realized the trauma from my childhood and my addiction had affected me profoundly, and I needed help.
I got back into therapy, my partner and I saw a couples therapist, I read lots of books and did a lot of soul searching. There were times that I felt like I would be in pain forever and I wouldn’t be able to overcome these problems. But I did. I no longer feel insecure in my marriage, I have a thriving career path, and we are reasonably happy. My life isn’t perfect (because no one’s is), but I believe in and love myself today.
I can help you heal.
I have taken these personal experiences, along with my clinical addictions counseling and EMDR (an evidenced based trauma therapy) training, and integrated them into my daily practice with clients. Individuals and couples have found relief from the pain of self sabotage, addiction, and trauma through our work together.
And it is working together. My approach is direct and active, we are in the "arena" as Brene Brown calls it, together. I won't sit back and wait for you to solve your problems on your own. If you could do that, you wouldn't have called me!
I will also not do ALL the work. It's a collaborative process. If you're ready to get to work, I invite you to join me.
Don't stay stuck. You deserve better than just getting by, you deserve to thrive.
Contact us below for your free phone consultation!
Style:
Active, Collaborative, Compassionate, Real
Who I work with:
Individuals, Couples, Adolescents, Families
Who struggle with:
Trauma & PTSD, Attachment Wounds, Relationship Discord, Addiction
Using:
EMDR Certified, EFT Trained, IFS, Motivational Interviewing, Attachment based
Fees
Couples/Family Therapy 90 minutes - $180 Couples/Family Therapy 60 minutes - $125
Individual Therapy 90 minutes - $180 Individual Therapy 60 minutes - $125
Contact
317-324-8036
leslie@inlowcounseling.com
