Hello and welcome! My name is Lisa Leibowitz and I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Connecticut, where I reside with my family. I have a Bachelors degree in psychology from Emory University in Atlanta, GA and a Masters in social work (MSW) from Bryn Mawr School of Social Work in Bryn Mawr, PA. My experience includes individual counseling with adults and adolescents, parent guidance, family, and group work. After the past couple of years of dealing with the additional stress and worry in our daily lives brought about by the pandemic – job and financial strains, health concerns, restrictions on activities and social interactions, and more time spent at home, indoors and, for some, alone – it’s clear that many among us are experiencing a sense of “burn-out”. As a parent, I’m also aware of how difficult it has been, and continues to be, for our kids. The disruptions they experienced during the peak of the pandemic, both academically and socially, created a host of new challenges for parents as well. When it’s difficult for kids, it’s difficult for their parents! Some of us still struggle with concerns about aging relatives and many older adults still struggle with feeling cut-off from family and friends. It’s difficult to measure the impact the pandemic has had, and continues to have, on each of us – isolation and loneliness, frustration and anger, fear, stress and anxiety, depression, grief and loss – but it is undeniable and enduring for many. Under any circumstances, it’s my belief that most people could use some additional support at one time or another. I would like to offer that support, in whatever way I can, whether your concerns happen to involve pandemic-related “burn-out” or not. Through empathetic, non-judgmental listening and coaching, Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy(CBT/DBT), and Mindfulness techniques, my goal is to help you cope more effectively with whatever challenging situations and emotions you are experiencing at this time – whether that means finding time for self-care and achieving better balance in your life, acquiring tools to manage stress or other difficult or painful emotions, working on interpersonal effectiveness and relationship issues, building strategies to help you support your kids, or discovering new sources of satisfaction and social/emotional outlets. With a warm, interactive and client-centered approach, I will take your lead to determine our focus throughout the process and we will work together in the way that feels most helpful and supportive to you. You’ve taken an important first step by reaching out today and I very much look forward to meeting and getting to know you!