Hi! I’m Leslie Head

I take an authentic relational approach with clients, which means I am not a 'blank slate' therapist. Informed by attachment-based principles, I use our therapeutic relationship to help you better understand yourself and your experiences. Through this safe, supportive connection, clients can build trust, strengthen relationships with themselves and others, and develop more secure, authentic ways of relating.

Through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I help clients clarify what truly matters to them so they can build a life aligned with their values. We work on creating space from unhelpful thoughts, relating to uncomfortable feelings without judgment or avoidance, and strengthening present-moment awareness by developing the ability to observe experiences rather than be overwhelmed by them. This approach builds psychological flexibility, resilience, and a steadier sense of purpose, even in the midst of stress and uncertainty.

I use techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients see how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other, sometimes leading to unintentional self-sabotage. In CBT, we explore and log triggers, core beliefs, and coping strategies that contribute to anxiety, depression, stress, or self-criticism, and practice reframing these thoughts/experiences with more balanced, realistic, self-compassionate thinking.

I use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a highly effective, evidence-based therapy for anxiety and compulsive behaviors. It’s the gold standard for OCD, Agoraphobia, Panic Disorder and Specific Phobias. ERP helps you gradually face the thoughts, fears, or situations that trigger anxiety while learning to resist unhelpful behaviors or compulsions like rumination, reassurance seeking, stimming, neutralizing, or safety-seeking that keeps us stuck in fear long term. While it can feel challenging at first, over time this process reduces fear, builds confidence, and helps you live more freely without being controlled by anxiety or rituals.

I believe the body is a crucial part of healing that traditional talk therapy often overlooks. If you’ve tried therapy before and felt it wasn’t enough, we can incorporate mindfulness and body-based techniques to help you notice and tune into your physical and emotional sensations. These practices support feeling emotions so that they can pass. I help my clients learn and build in mindfulness and meditation practices into their daily routine so they have more control over their responses.

Motivational interviewing helps clients explore goals, resolve ambivalence, and can strengthen motivation for change. This collaborative method can empower someone who feels stuck to take active steps toward meaningful progress.

I incorporate psychoeducation because understanding the science behind your responses can be validating and foster greater self-compassion, hope, and motivation, showing that growth is possible without needing to “fix” you.

I use Schema Therapy and parts work to identify and change long-standing patterns that affect how you think, feel, and relate to others. Early experiences can shape our core beliefs and perceptions (schemas) like “I need to be perfect” or “People will leave,” and different protective “parts” of you such as the anxious or self-critical part. In therapy, we examine these patterns, understand the needs behind them, and practice healthier ways to relate, cope and get those needs met. The consistency and safety of the therapeutic relationship can and should provide a corrective emotional experience, helping update old beliefs and support lasting change.

I provide trauma-informed therapy that recognizes how past experiences of trauma can shape current emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. My approach prioritizes safety, empowerment, and collaboration, helping clients feel supported while exploring difficult experiences. I also use CPT-informed strategies to help clients identify patterns related to trauma, such as unhelpful beliefs about themselves, others, or the world, and develop new, more balanced perspectives that support healing and resilience.