Stacy Leo

Hello! I am Stacy Leo a Licensed Independent Social Worker of Clinical Practice, (LISW-CP) in the state of South Carolina. with over 9 years of professional work experience providing counseling and psychotherapy services in a variety of settings including residential treatment, outpatient psychotherapy, and telehealth services. I believe everyone has the ability to heal from their past trauma, solve challenging problems, and improve their lives so that they are happier, more confident, and better able to achieve their life goals. I have worked with a wide range of people of all ages and backgrounds to help them find solutions to their identified concerns, learn and practice new skills, to set goals they would like to work toward in therapy, and identify effective ways to manage their emotions and responses to trauma and stress. People come to therapy for a wide range of reasons; our first task is to identify what you want to change and need assistance with and develop a plan to achieve those goals. Some of the problems I've helped people work through include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD resulting from a range of experiences (including abuse experienced as a child, domestic violence, combat and moral injury, and sexual assault), family problems, couples infidelity, relationship issues, communication issues, behavioral concerns, inability to manage emotions and angered responses, women's issues generally, employment problems, parenting challenges, and stressors associated with being in the military such as deployments, separations, and transitions.

My approach

A good working relationship is necessary for therapy to be successful. You are the expert on your life; this is your journey. My role is to be a guide, help you find perspective on yourself and your experiences, be a source of support and information, and help you learn skills to overcome any challenges you may be experiencing. I understand the importance of meeting you where you are at. Therefore, our first task together is to establish a strong therapeutic alliance through conveying respect, support, warmth, and empathy. I work from a non-judgmental approach to develop a level of trust with the client which fosters a feeling of safety to discuss issues and/or challenges affecting your life negatively. You must be able to trust your guide to be able to move forward, and that is a process that can't be rushed. Once we've identified the goals you would like to work towards, I use a variety of techniques drawn from different schools of psychotherapy to help you reach your goals. Some of those techniques include client-centered, motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, internal family systems (IFS), mindfulness, and solution-focused strategies.

My focus

I have extensive experience working with military families, couples, and individuals experiencing mental health diagnoses. at-risk youth experiencing severe behavioral and/or mental health challenges, and in teaching early childhood development and parenting strategies. Lastly, I am an avid equestrian who has combined my passion for horses with my work as a mental health professional providing equine-assisted experiential therapy to treatment-level foster care youth and families.

My communication style

I try and create a welcoming experience and operate from a judgment-free lens that fosters effective communication and welcomes any type of personality or communication style. My motto is..."No door is the wrong door as long as we go through a door". In other words, I want your therapeutic experience to be the best fit for you! Thus, my goal is to make your journey to mental health recovery as welcoming and inviting as possible while offering ethical and evidenced-based therapeutic modalities to assist you in achieving your personal goals!

My journey to mental healthcare

I was drawn to the mental health profession naturally as I have always been referred to as the "momma duck" in my family and friend circles. I have overcome numerous obstacles in my life including physical abuse, domestic violence, separation, and abandonment. I have experienced grief, loss, and trauma. I found that my only true release from the grief and trauma associated with my childhood was through my own personal mental health journey. Thus, my profession was a natural progression of my personal road to recovery and my journey to a healthy mind, body, and soul. During my mental health journey. I found out that I have a passion for helping and serving others and want nothing but to assist my clients in overcoming their challenges and beginning their journey to a new chapter that fosters health, happiness, and well-being.

My goals for you

You are the expert in your life! Therefore, I work with you to develop agreed-upon therapeutic goals through creating an open, honest, and non-judgmental client/therapist alliance.

My first session with you

The first session is all about getting to know you and establishing a rapport. I will spend time exploring for information and/or details of the challenges you are currently facing and assist you in identifying the therapeutic goals you would like to work towards. I will provide psychoeducation relevant to your concerns and train you in skills that will assist you in overcoming your challenges and meeting your therapeutic goals.