.webp)
Leigh Ware
About
Hello and welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. My name is Leigh (Lee). I am a licensed clinical social worker living in Metro Atlanta, GA, and I am licensed in GA and CT. I am passionate about supporting autistic and neurodivergent people in a way that is affirming, compassionate, culturally responsive, and strengths-based.
I believe therapy should be a space where you do not have to change who you are to be understood. I work to create a therapy space where you can feel comfortable being your authentic self, feel respected, and explore your experiences without judgment. Together, we can work toward greater self-understanding, emotional well-being, self-advocacy, and a life that feels more sustainable and aligned with who you are.
I also recognize that neurodivergence intersects with race, culture, gender, family, identity, faith, and lived experience. These parts of who you are matter and are welcome in the therapy space.
I chose to focus my work with autistic and neurodivergent people because I believe neurodivergent people deserve therapeutic spaces where they are understood, affirmed, and valued rather than viewed primarily through a lens of deficits or what needs to be changed.
I am drawn to the diversity of perspectives, strengths, creativity, insight, resilience, and ways of experiencing the world within the neurodivergent community. I also recognize that many neurodivergent individuals have spent significant amounts of time adapting themselves to environments that were not designed with their needs in mind.
My goal is to provide a space where clients can better understand themselves without feeling pressured to become someone else. I want to support clients in identifying what helps them thrive, understanding their needs and patterns, developing greater self-compassion, and building a life that honors both their strengths and their support needs.
My work is grounded in a neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based, and collaborative approach. I do not view autism or neurodivergence as something that needs to be “fixed.” Instead, I focus on understanding you as a whole person and recognizing the strengths, abilities, interests, values, coping strategies, and resilience you already have.
At the same time, being affirming does not mean minimizing the real challenges people experience. Therapy can provide support addressing concerns such as masking, burnout, sensory overwhelm, emotional regulation, executive functioning, communication, relationships, anxiety, trauma, identity, self-esteem, and navigating environments that do not fully understand neurodivergence.
Most importantly, I approach each person as the expert of their own life. Instead of assumptions, I listen, ask questions, and collaborate to identify approaches that fit a person’s individual needs, communication styles, preferences, goals, and strengths.
My clinical approach incorporates person-centered therapy, CBT, strengths-based and empowerment-focused practices, Motivational Interviewing, and culturally responsive care. I may also incorporate reflection, journaling, and other tools when they are helpful and accessible for the individual.
Because there is no single way to be neurodivergent, I believe therapy should never be one-size-fits-all. My goal is not to help clients appear more neurotypical. My goal is to help clients better understand themselves, recognize and build upon their strengths, advocate for their needs, navigate challenges with greater confidence, and create lives that feel authentic and meaningful.
