Leighann Sapienza

When someone you love is struggling with addiction, it can take over your whole life: your sleep, your relationships, your sense of what’s normal. You don’t have to wait for them to get help to start getting support for yourself.

I’m Leighann Sapienza, a licensed clinical social worker with 8+ years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families. Much of my work is with people affected by a loved one’s substance use, and I also support people navigating relationship strain, life transitions, anxiety, and depression. Together, we’ll look at how your history shapes the way you respond, and build skills to change those patterns, drawing on family systems therapy, EMDR, ACT, and CBT.

Therapy with me is collaborative and tailored to you. We’ll look at the patterns showing up in your relationships, practice ways to steady yourself when worry or stress spikes, and navigate the conversations and boundaries that feel hardest. We’ll also look at how earlier experiences shape what you’re going through now, so you can begin to change long-standing patterns. I draw on family systems therapy, ACT, CBT, and motivational interviewing, and I’m also trained in EMDR. I’ll adjust the approach as we go, based on what’s working for you.

You can expect a warm, steady space where you don’t have to have it all figured out. I listen closely, and I’m also active: offering perspective, practical tools, and honest feedback when it’s helpful. I won’t tell you what to do in your relationships, but I’ll help you think through your options and what feels right for you. Early on, we’ll get clear on what you’d like to be different and how you’ll know it’s changing. Along the way, you may try small skills between sessions, and we’ll adjust based on what works for you. You won’t be judged for how you’ve coped, or for the choices your loved one has made.