HI, I’M LEILA.

(they/she)

I am a licensed and board certified creative arts therapist providing sessions to adults physically residing in New York State. I come from a psychodynamic training background, and I utilize elements of different approaches to best suit your needs.

My own lived experience as a queer Asian immigrant provides me a deep understanding of the nuanced ways that our intersectional identities and surviving through the various systems we exist in affects our mental health. My clients like that I can resonate with their experiences, because I too have lived and struggled through them. In session, we build a warm, humorous, and authentic relationship to help you embody your values, grow more connected to yourself and others, understand and hold compassion for your emotions, and find a way forward from where you are right now. I can hold space for you to process your emotions and acknowledge your strengths, and I can also compassionately challenge you to allow room for feelings that can be uncomfortable, or parts of you that haven’t felt welcomed in therapy before.

Some clients may have some curiosity about what different approaches look like in session, others may find that there’s parts of them concerned about being “good enough” at art to consider an art therapist. Sessions with me can look and feel a number of ways, as I tailor my approach to you based on what we determine resonates with you best over the course of trying different things together. Some people like having homework in between sessions, which may look like a prompt to think on, a new skill to try, or a way to challenge a pattern you’re working though. Some people prefer to not do any creative arts in or outside of session at all. Other folks really enjoy having a directive structure that helps them feel more prepared for session. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have in our initial consult.

In my free time, I enjoy hand quilting, reading, and playing video games. I’m also a big fan of supernatural tv shows, run-on sentences, and I love a good metaphor.