Leah Liszka, LICSW, LCSW-C

About

Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Washington, DC. Works with Transgender, LGBTQ+ and Polyamory. Sees clients in person and online. Works out of network for insurance. Accepting new clients.

Areas of expertise

• Anxiety
• Bisexual
• Depression
• Grief
• Lesbian
• Life Transitions
• Relationship Issues
• Self Esteem
• Trauma and PTSD

Types of therapy

• Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)A structured, practical therapy that looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions affect each other, and teaches skills for changing unhelpful thinking and habits.
• Compassion FocusedHelps people who are hard on themselves to build warmth and compassion toward themselves, as a counterweight to shame and self-criticism.
• Culturally SensitiveTakes a person's culture, identity, background and values into account, and shapes the work so it fits their life.
• Dialectical Behavior (DBT)A skills-based therapy grown out of CBT. Teaches ways to manage intense emotions, get through crises, stay present and handle relationships.
• Family SystemsSees a person as part of their family as a whole, and explores roles, patterns and communication across the family rather than one person's problems alone.
• FeministConsiders how gender, power and social context affect a person's life and well-being, and aims for an equal relationship between client and therapist.
• GestaltFocuses on the here and now, and on noticing what a person is feeling and doing in the moment, often through experiments such as role-play.
• Mindfulness-Based (MBCT)Combines mindfulness practice, paying attention to the present moment without judgment, with ideas from cognitive therapy.
• Motivational InterviewingA collaborative style of conversation that helps people explore mixed feelings about a change and find their own reasons to make it.
• NarrativeHelps people separate themselves from their problems and retell the stories they hold about their lives in ways that feel truer and more helpful.
• Person-CenteredA warm, non-directive approach: the therapist listens with empathy and without judgment, and trusts the person to find their own direction.
• Positive PsychologyFocuses on well-being, strengths, gratitude and what makes life fulfilling, alongside working through difficulties.
• RelationalSees relationships as central to well-being. The relationship with the therapist is used to understand and change patterns in other relationships.
• Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)A short-term, goal-focused approach that spends less time on problems and more on what already works and the small steps toward what the person wants.
• SomaticBody-focused therapy that pays attention to physical sensations, posture and breathing, on the view that stress and trauma are held in the body as well as the mind.
• Strength-BasedFocuses on the strengths, skills and resources a person already has, and builds on them to meet challenges.
• Trauma FocusedTherapy for people affected by trauma. Puts safety and pacing first, and helps process painful memories so they have less hold on daily life.

More details

Sessions

Both in-person and online

Accepting new clients

Yes

Specialties

Transgender, LGBTQ+, Polyamory, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Bisexual, Body Image, Chronic Pain, Depression, Grief, Infertility, Lesbian, Life Transitions, Polyamory & ENM, Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum, Relationship Issues, Self Esteem, Sex Therapy, Sex-Positive & Kink Friendly, Spirituality, Trauma and PTSD, Women's Issues

Insurance

Out of Network

Fees

Individual sessions $190; sliding scale available

Payment methods

American Express, Cash, Check, Discover, Mastercard, Visa

Ages

Adults

Works with

Individuals

Communities

Bisexual Allied, Gay Allied, HIV / AIDS Allied, Immuno-disorders, Intersex Allied, Lesbian Allied, Non-Binary Allied, Queer Allied, Racial Justice Allied, Sex Worker Allied, Transgender Allied

Languages

English

Gender

Non-Binary

Education

University of Maryland School of Social Work

Years in practice

16

Education & qualifications