About Leah

Hi, I’m Leah, and I’m so glad you’re here.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Maryland and Washington, D.C., with over ten years of clinical experience working with children and families through both school-based therapy and private practice. I’ve always loved supporting young children and their parents, helping them navigate challenges and build stronger, healthier connections.

My path started at Indiana University, where I studied Human Development and Family Studies and Psychology, followed by a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis, where I lived with my family until moving to Maryland in 2021.

Throughout my career, I found that families often brought up struggles around mealtimes, fueling well, and managing eating-related challenges. Furthermore, as ongoing research continues to demonstrate important connections between nutrition and mental health and well-being, and because of my lifelong love for food, cooking, and nutrition—rooted in growing up on an organic vegetable farm—I felt the need to further my education in clinical nutrition. Therefore, I pursued a Masters in Nutrition Science, which has given me the tools to support families not only with emotional and behavioral health but also with nutrition and fueling strategies.

Today, I bring both of these passions together into one practice. Please read more about the services available at HeartStrong Counseling HERE.

I look forward to meeting you!

When I’m not working with children and their families, I love being with my husband and three young children. I am a devotee to children’s literature, staying current on the best games and activities for families, and doing anything outdoors. I funnel all my extra energy into running 35+ miles a week, baking treats, cooking meals everyone can enjoy, and exploring the DC area with my family.

  • Therapy can be for anyone. And therapy doesn’t have to be long-term. Sometimes, even 1-2 sessions can be helpful for a family. That being said, we offer a free 15 minute intake to discuss your specific concerns in more detail.

  • The fortunate yet complicated answer is that therapy sessions look different for everyone. Heartstrong Counseling believes in a deeply individualize approach. That being said, the goal of therapy is to equip clients with the tools they need to thrive on their own.

    Most of the time, clients can benefit from 3-6 sessions. Heartstrong Counseling strives to quickly and efficiently impart the education and actionable steps that families need to create change quickly and confidently.

    Sessions are almost always 50 minutes total. Based on clinical best judgement and dialogue with parents, sessions can be with adults only, children only, entire family, or split (i.e. 30 minutes with parent and child and 20 minutes with child individually).

  • Yes. We can have sessions virtually in Maryland and Washington, DC.

    For children, virtual sessions tend to be shorter than in-person sessions.

  • Our services for nutrition support at Heartstrong Counseling integrate a deep understanding of child development, social-emotional well-being, and mental health to help families reshape challenges at mealtimes by ensure they’re responding to eating behaviors in ways that promote physical and emotional wellness and enjoyment in eating together.

    While we can do dietary analysis, provide education and feedback to ensure families are meeting their nutritional needs and have the necessary knowledge to adjust nutrition to meet specific needs, we do not offer medical nutrition therapy or treat any illness with nutrition.

    Our nutrition services are explained more thoroughly HERE.

  • You found the right place! Yes! Because we blend mental health counseling with nutrition counseling, we are uniquely equipped to attend to the emotional side of nutrition as well as the practical side of what to actually feed your family.

    There can be so much stress, anxiety, and trauma around infant feeding, medical conditions, allergies, and all-things-nutrition. It can be hard to find support designed to actually process it and find peace of mind. If that speaks to you, we’re so glad you found us.

  • Absolutely. We work with all kinds of children and all kinds of families. We specialize in children 10 and under and are equipped to work with children with a range of diagnoses. Furthermore, a child does not need a diagnosis to benefit from therapy.

    We believe that all children experiences the world differently. At Heartstrong Counseling, we honor sensory differences by providing a calm, adaptable environment where families can feel accepted and supported. If we feel that your child’s needs would best be attended to in a different setting or a different level of support, we will assess that fully and communicate our clinical judgement with you directly.

  • ABSOLULTELY. We are dedicated to welcoming all families who have the desire to treat their child with compassion.

    At Heartstrong Counseling, we believe every child and family deserves a space where they can feel safe, accepted, and empowered to be themselves. We proudly support and affirm LGBTQIA+ identities and are committed to providing inclusive care.

    Unfortunately, we conduct all sessions in English only at this time.