What you'll Gain from a Session
At the core of my practice is the strongly held belief that suffering is a universal experience which, when approached mindfully and with compassion can provide us with the opportunity for growth and healing. I strive to help people see this opportunity for growth whether created by past difficulties, or by their current circumstances. By working together in a collaborative and gentle way, we transform negative experiences of the past into positive transformation, inner peace, and the confidence they need to resolve issues and create the life they want.
My role as therapist is to be a catalyst for change, a guide and a partner to help client close the gap between where they are now and where they want to be. Establishing trust and rapport are essential to the process and to the client's success as it creates a sense of safety and a resonance between us which allows for discoveries and breakthroughs to happen.
Sessions are an opportunity to shed what no longer serves us while being fully supported through the process. This can start with identifying and defining what clients' goals mean to them. Simply defining a goal or a word like "success" for example, can reap surprising insights as one's version of what they want, or how they want to feel becomes clearer. We explore long held beliefs about themselves and replace them with updated ones that are based on who they really are, not on outdated conclusions and expectations of them made by others long ago. Energy medicine can enhance the process by clearing away the old and helping to refresh and rebalance the entire system.
What to Expect
Rather than focusing on the story alone, the verbal, physical, spoken and unspoken dimensions of the self all play an important role in the therapeutic process. This allows us to tap into a greater range of experience of ourselves. As we expand our range of experience we gain new insights that were previously outside of our conscious awareness.
My goal is to treat the whole person, not just the part telling the stories. In sessions clients are invited to notice what's happening in their bodies as issues arise. The use of energy medicine helps clients to release pent up, stuck energy that has served to block their best efforts in the past. The results are a feeling of lightness, freedom, and expansiveness. Suddenly, the problem isn't a problem anymore! As our perspective and our relationship to the problem shifts, we are able to see it through a new and different lens where possibilities inevitably emerge.
Clients can choose to come in once for a spiritual reading, or incorporate different approaches for long term therapy. Regardless of the approach we go beyond talk therapy and focus on permanent change and on healing the entire person - body, mind and spirit.
Integrative Approaches
Holistic Psychotherapy (For MA residents only– see disclaimer) Holistic Psychotherapy goes deeper than traditional talk therapy by inviting clients to tap into the wisdom of the body in all its expression. We work with the five senses and sensations in the body to access the feelings underneath the story, enabling us to address emotional pain and past trauma at the source in a slow and gentle way. This work is creative and collaborative as we track the body and allow it to incrementally release stuck energy that has been frozen in time since the original incident caused it to be there. Once the energy is released, the body no longer needs to express it or avoid it and healing can occur. Approaches including somatic experiencing, guided imagery, hypnotherapy practices and other alternative therapies, help clients get to the bottom of current as well as chronic long-standing issues so they can move forward in their lives with confidence and ease.
Energy Medicine is increasingly being referred to as the medicine of the 21st century. Similar to Reiki, Energy Medicine is a subtle and profound approach that has the power to create shifts in our energy fields and our bodies. These shifts can change our emotional and physical states by creating more space, clearing negative energy, balancing chakras, and healing parts of the body that need healing. This can substantially change our relationship to ourselves and our attitude towards the issues being addressed.
Akashic Soul Reading for People and Pets Akashic Soul Readings are similar to psychic readings, but more general and not predictive. Reading ones Akashic Records gives us a bird’s eye view of our lives and can shed light on what is blocking us and keeping us stuck. Readings create shifts in our relationship to issues, allowing us to see them from different angles. Often referred to as the Book of Life, the Akashic Records are fifth dimensional energetic database much like a search engine, containing vibrational information of the entire history of one’s soul, throughout all time and can include past lives. This celestial view of ourselves can reap simple yet profound information about who we really are and how we can live a more authentic life. Readings for our beloved pets are no different than readings for humans, and can address a wide range of behavioral and health issues, or simply help you get to know your pet in a more intimate, bigger picture kind of way. To enhance the experience and assist in moving stagnant energy, energy medicine is incorporated into each reading. Clients report feeling more relaxed, inspired and at peace following a session.
Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy allows us to travel back in time to the source of long term, self-limiting, negative patterns that are at the root of our emotional and physical distress. Feelings can be expressed and long held beliefs that no longer serve us can be released, allowing us to form more positive and updated conclusions about ourselves. The opportunity to heal our inner child is a powerful part of the hypnotherapy session as well. This can lead to profound shifts in our emotional and physical health, and our lives.
Somato Emotional Release Bodywork and Virtual Touch If you’re looking for less talk and more touch, these approaches may either be integrated into sessions as needed or purchased as a full session to enhance or support emotional release and a sense of peace. These uncertain times have also left us feeling un-safe and disoriented in many ways as well. Touch, whether hands on or virtual can be beneficial in helping us to feel safe and cared for while eliciting gentle yet powerful shifts in our nervous systems as we release trapped emotional energy. It has a soothing effect on our nervous systems and helps us to breathe more easily and feel more expansive in our bodies and spirit. Whether addressing imbalances that contribute to emotional pain, physical discomfort or both, incorporating bodywork into psychotherapy allows us to access and heal all of you.
Spiritual & Intuitive Counseling with Energy Therapy (For MA and non-MA residents) Spiritual & Intuitive Counseling with Energy Therapy starts with talk therapy but goes deeper and wider. By integrating somatic experiencing, guided imagery, energy work, somato emotional release bodywork or virtual touch, soul readings and hypnotherapy into the therapeutic process, clients begin to see themselves and their lives through different lenses. These new perspectives both inform and guide clients towards their goals as they release what’s been holding them back and begin to see new solutions to old problems.
Group Programs
The Trim - Life Weight Release Program
A Six Week Program for Individuals or Groups
Want to Permanently Change your Eating Patterns and Improve your Health?
The Trim-Life program is designed to train your subconscious mind to release weight by creating a new relationship to food and our bodies. This six week group program helps participants discover the emotional triggers that create unhealthy eating patterns and guides them to change them where they reside - in the subconscious mind.
*Trim-Life is the ONLY weight management program utilized by the Integrative Medicine Department of the Cleveland Clinic*
Trim-Life is an integrative medical weight management program that will empower you to manage your hunger and your weight through the power of mindfulness, relaxation skills, and hypnosis. Psycho education, discussion and group support are integrated into the 2 hour sessions. Each participant will receive a book, workbook and hypnotic recordings to help continue the work at home.
Group sessions are held for six weeks with individual follow-up support sessions greatly encouraged. Individual sessions are also available.
*Create your own group! Sign up with a friend or friends and get a $50 discount for each one! *
See "Events & Workshops" page for pricing. Contact Leslie to register.
*The four week Clean Break Smoking Cessation Program, group or individual, is also available. Contact Leslie for details.
Testimonials
"I just wanted to send a quick note to thank you for our session on Saturday....it was very helpful...you have a special gift for putting people at ease...your enthusiasm, kindness and ability to convey your heartfelt messages shines through.
The techniques you shared...were very helpful. You have the total package which makes it clear that you love your work.
Having done counseling and motivational work with people throughout my career, I see what a special gift you have!! ...you are a lovely person and a true healer. I saw this with my own eyes! Thanks again!"
Anonymous, Western MA
"I had my first hypnosis session with Leslie. I wanted to clear some self limiting beliefs without clear origins, and was curious about hypnotherapy. Leslie had a nice structure to the session, let me record the beginning and end of the session so I would have something to go back to later. She also took notes for me while she took me back to earlier moments in time that I hadn’t even really thought about for a long time, but matched the feeling around some of my current concerns. I definitely got insight and immediate relief, as well as a tools to use for the future. I’m looking forward to working through additional emotions, and clearing any blockages that stand in the way of my success. Thanks, Leslie! I see a lot of patients with dental anxieties and am excited to have another resource for the ones who wish to reduce/release their anxieties and move forward in their dental wellness."
SK, Florence, MA
"Leslie is a skilled hypnotherapist. After many years of trying many modalities, I was incredibly impressed with the structure of the session and how much was addressed and accomplished so quickly. I left feeling empowered and returned to my self in the most beautiful way. Her guidance was excellent and I highly recommend her to anyone seeking an effective pathway towards deeper healing and integration of the mind, body and heart. I am so thankful I met Leslie and worked with her!"
LN, Northampton, MA
“Leslie is doing what she loves. Helping people become more than they would have ever realized possible themselves”
JR Northampton, MA
“This (Akashic Record reading) has gotten to the essence of my issues a lot more quickly than years of therapy.”
RS Hatfield, MA
“I was looking for guidance direction and Leslie amazed me with her ability to get to the root of the situation through Akashic Records and Matrix Energetics for healing and support for my next steps. She is professional, warm and I would recommend her to anyone looking for alternative therapy for navigating this chaotic world of ours. thank you Leslie.”
JH, Amherst, MA
Here is a testimonial from William the cat’s satisfied owner.
“The wise and wonderful Leslie performed a reading for our loveable grumpy cat, William, and changed his life! She told us William felt rejected and excluded from our family because we let the dog sleep with us but not the cat, whom we had kept him out of our bedroom because he sheds like crazy. She said the dog was dominating the cat and being aggressive with him because the dog felt superior because she was allowed in our bed (as she doesn't shed). So... we started letting William come to bed with us every night and he is so, so much happier, and the dog treats him with greater respect, too. Also, he somehow doesn't shed a bit in our bed!”
LS, in MA