Robyn Leighton
Life can ask a lot of us; especially when we’re caring for someone we love, grieving a loss, or adjusting to a new chapter. I’m a licensed clinical social worker who works with adults and older adults navigating caregiving, grief, anxiety, aging, relationships, and life transitions. You may be supporting an aging parent, a spouse, a child with ongoing needs, or another loved one while trying not to lose yourself in the process. You may be grieving someone important, anticipating a loss, adjusting to changes in your health or independence, or simply wondering what you want this next season of life to look like.
They’re often managing work, family, and responsibilities just fine on the outside, while carrying a lot internally.
My style is warm, conversational, practical, and down-to-earth. Therapy with me isn’t about sitting in a heavy room analyzing everything that has ever happened. We’ll make space for what’s difficult, but there is also room for humor, perspective, problem-solving, and finding ways to feel more grounded, connected, and like yourself again.
First session
In our first session, we’ll take time to understand what brought you here, what you’ve been carrying, and what you hope will feel different. You don’t need to have the right words or know exactly where to begin. My goal is to create a calm, welcoming space where you feel heard and understood while we begin identifying the kind of support that would be most helpful for you.
Strengths
One of my biggest strengths is making therapy feel human. I’m warm, straightforward, curious, and genuinely engaged in the conversation. I don’t believe therapy has to feel formal or emotionally heavy every week to be meaningful. I bring more than a decade of experience supporting individuals and families through caregiving, serious illness, grief, and life transitions. Depending on what you need that day, our sessions might involve processing something difficult, exploring a new way to approach a problem, finding practical ways to manage stress, reconnecting with parts of yourself that have been pushed aside, or simply having a place where you can say what you’re really thinking.
Ideal clients
I'm best positioned to work with adults who are functioning in their day-to-day lives but could use some support with what life is asking of them right now. Maybe you're overthinking everything. Maybe work or relationships have become stressful. You may be going through a transition, grieving someone or something important, caring for other people, adjusting to getting older, feeling uncertain about what's next, or wondering why you don't feel quite as content as you thought you would. You don't have to wait until things become unbearable to come to therapy. Some people work with me for a particular season of life, while others appreciate having an ongoing space to check in, reflect, and continue growing. Together, we'll focus on what feels most useful for you rather than trying to fit your experience into a one-size-fits-all approach.
Treatment methods
Grief Therapy
I have over a decade of combined experience in hospice care and bereavement coordination, supporting individuals and families through anticipatory and post-loss grief. My approach is compassionate and client-centered, helping clients process loss, find meaning, and adapt to life transitions at their own pace.
Supportive
I use supportive therapy to provide a safe, validating space where clients can process difficult emotions, build coping skills, and strengthen their inner resilience. My focus in on fostering trust, stability, and emotional insight, especially during periods of grief, caregiving, or life transition.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients make room for difficult thoughts and emotions, rather than fighting or judging them. Instead of trying to “fix” or eliminate feelings like grief, anxiety, or uncertainty, we focus on learning how to relate to them differently so they don’t run your life.
Psychoeducation
I use Psychoeducation to help clients understand the emotional, physical, and cognitive effects of grief, caregiving, and life transitions. By normalizing symptoms like brain fog or emotional numbness, clients often feel empowered and less alone. I also incorporate grief models and nervous system education to support insight and coping.
Narrative
I use narrative therapy to help clients explore and give meaning to their experiences of loss, caregiving, or transition. Together, we identify the stories you've been carrying and work to reshape them in ways that honor both your pain and resilience.
Location
Virtual sessions