Philadelphia Therapist Accepting New Clients: Amy Leonard, MSW
Finding a Philadelphia therapist accepting new clients can be difficult. CFR is proud to have Staff Therapist Amy Leonard, MSW, as a member of our organization. Amy sees patients virtually or in person and is currently accepting new clients.
Continue reading to learn more about Amy’s therapeutic approaches, goals, and training.
Staff Therapist Amy Leonard (pictured here) joined CFR in the Spring of 2023.
Amy’s journey to becoming a therapist
Therapy is a second career for me. Before becoming a therapist, I spent ten years working in the nonprofit space, managing communications and development for a grassroots organization working in public housing communities. I found that work incredibly meaningful, and yet I wanted to do something more relational.
So, I made a change and went to the University of Pennsylvania and earned my Master’s Degree in Social Work. During grad school, I was lucky to intern at Council for Relationships and saw several things in the organization that made me want to continue working there. CFR has a good reputation with people from a broad range of backgrounds, income levels, and identities, which is very important to me. And its model is unique, allowing for sustainable ways of training new clinicians, offering low-fee and no-fee therapy, and providing expert, high-quality care. Plus all of the people I have met at CFR have been lovely, warm, smart, and welcoming.
Staying with the good feelings
I love to stay with the good feelings of my clients. It seems most people associate therapy with the “negative” feelings or the hard stuff. And while of course, we will explore those feelings, too, I believe it is important also to notice the good stuff. Staying positive can train our brains and make good feelings easier to feel again. What does that look like in a session? It does not look anything like toxic positivity. It can look like laughter and humor, it can look like noticing when you feel proud of yourself or when something pleases you, and then getting curious about what those feelings are like for you. It means we notice your full humanity, the hard and the lovely, the pain and the joy.
What you can expect in your first session with Amy
Starting therapy can feel vulnerable and a bit scary, so I like to take the first session at your pace. You will have the chance to share what brings you to therapy and to share a bit of your history and story. My goal during the first session is to offer you a safe, non-judgmental space, to do my best to understand where you are at and where you want to go and to start building a connection that will help us partner together moving forward.
One of the main goals of therapy is to know and understand ourselves with honesty and compassion so that we can cultivate ways of moving through the world authentically, with less distress, and with greater relational connection.
I believe that our bodies and our felt experience often already hold the wisdom and guidance we need. My goal, then, is to help you notice and pay attention to what is already there. I see my role as a compassionate witness and, when needed, a guide along the way, helping you make sense of your story and finding the tools you need to move forward in the ways that feel right for you.
Are you struggling with the decision to request a therapy appointment?
In my experience, I have found that naming the things that we find difficult or distressing often makes them less powerful and less scary. This is especially true when we work through those things with another person who listens and responds with curiosity and compassion.
Therapy is not always easy, but taking that first step to get started is often one of the hardest parts.
CFR therapists are accepting new clients. Ready to book an appointment with a psychiatrist or therapist? Questions about session costs?
Amy Leonard, MSW, is a Philadelphia therapist accepting new online or in-person clients. Click here to book an appointment.
You may reach Amy at aleonard@councilforrelationships.org or 215-770-2334 ext 7018.
See our Therapist & Psychologist Directory to find a different CFR therapist or psychiatrist near you.
More from CFR
Philadelphia Psychiatrist Accepting New Patients: Dr. Michael Antzis