Leigh Swanson
Hi I’m Leigh and I’m a therapist who shows up with warmth, curiosity and a deep respect for your lived experience. I work with people who feel stuck, anxious, and overwhelmed with OCD and anxiety and are unsure how to move forward.
I use evidence-based methods like CBT, ERP, and ACT that are known to get results, but I never forget that you're a person, not a diagnosis or a checklist.
In our sessions you’ll find space to slow down untangle what’s going on and start making sense of things in a way that feels real and honest. A lot of what we do is about making room for the hard stuff while also learning how to show up for your life with more openness more intention and more connection to what really matters to you. I am a Veteran of the U.S. Navy and enjoy working with other Veterans.
First session
In our first session we’ll slow things down and just get to know each other. I’ll ask some questions about your history and what’s bringing you in but there’s no pressure to share everything all at once. It’s really about starting to build a sense of safety and trust so you can decide if this feels like a good fit. You can ask me anything and we’ll talk about what you’re hoping for from therapy. My style is warm, curious and collaborative and we’ll go at a pace that feels right for you.
Strengths
What stands out about my approach is the balance I try to keep between being deeply compassionate and also really practical. I use evidence-based methods like CBT, I-CBT, and ACT that are known to get results, but I never forget that you're a person, not a diagnosis or a checklist. I bring a wide range of clinical experience to the work, but primarily focus on OCD and Anxiety at this time. I'm flexible in how we work, because I know there's no one-size-fits-all path to healing. Humor often finds its way into sessions too, because sometimes laughter is part of what keeps us going.
Ideal clients
I’m a good fit for people who think a lot and feel deeply even if they don’t always show it. You might be dealing with anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts people-pleasing or just this sense that you’re not living in a way that lines up with who you really are. Maybe you’ve been trying to hold it all together for a long time and you’re tired of white-knuckling it through. I work well with people who are ready to look inward, ask meaningful questions and make room for the full range of human experience , not just the comfortable parts. Whether you're here to break old patterns rebuild trust in yourself or stop letting fear run the show we’ll move at your pace and center what matters most to you.
Treatment methods
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
Acceptance and Commitment therapy is a terrible name for a fantastic philosophy for living. It teaches us how to be flexible with our thoughts, expectations of ourselves and relationships. How can I experience my life fully, even when it is painful or difficult? This is the question that ACT tries to answer.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
My style is really grounded in Person-Centered work which means I believe you're the expert on your own life and my job is to help you hear yourself more clearly. I’m not here to tell you what to do but I will ask a lot of questions that help you slow down and really look at what’s going on underneath the surface. It’s a collaborative kind of conversation where I’ll gently challenge your thinking not because I think you’re wrong but because sometimes we’re so close to something we can’t see it fully We’ll spend time getting really curious about your thoughts and assumptions and how they’re shaping what you feel and do. It’s not about fixing you or changing who you are. It’s about helping you see yourself with more compassion and more truth so that you can make choices that feel more aligned with who you actually are not who you think you’re supposed to be.
Location
Virtual sessions
In-person sessions1510 Oak Grove Rd, Decatur, GA 30033, 3
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- GeorgiaLicense LPC008700