EmiLeigh Whitehouse

Hi! I am EmiLeigh Whitehouse.  I am a licensed professional counselor, play therapist in training, and doctoral student who is passionate about helping others. I have nearly ten years of experience in the mental health field serving in many different roles from community services, non-profit work, higher levels of care, and now in an outpatient setting. In my time growing as a clinician, I have come to believe that we all have strengths and that we all naturally try to move towards living authentically. Sometimes our ability to live authentically is challenged in different ways, which makes it harder to get there. My approach in therapy is to draw on your natural strengths to navigate these challenges while maintaining the goal of authenticity. More simply put, my approach is humanistic in nature, and I use evidenced-based theoretical orientations and identity affirming practices such as person centered, child centered play therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy, to help you achieve your goals.

 

As a LGBTQIA+ identifying, cisgendered, neurodivergent person, I can understand the barriers in place that make us feel less than. My goal is to create a therapy space for children and their caregivers to feel unconditionally loved and accepted. I take a collaborative approach in working with clients, which means involving caregivers and other important members of their community, including other support professionals and schools. Community is essential in healing, so let’s heal together.

 

You can expect some serious work to happen in play therapy with me. Using a Child-Centered Play Therapy approach, I allow clients to move toward the play they need the most. I meet with parents regularly to focus on parenting support and attachment needs to help enrich the relationship with their children. In therapy, the goal is not to “fix” your child but to help create an environment to help nourish your child’s natural strengths.

 

When working through concerns about feeding and eating disorders, you can expect a similar approach based on collaborative caring. Using philosophies of anti-diet, intuitive eating, health at every size, and all foods fit, we will work together to revolutionize the way food, body weight/shape, and movement are viewed. I will meet with your treatment team regularly to help support the management of eating disorder symptoms and provide holistic care.

 

Together, healing can happen!