Leona Pusey-Rigg, LCSW

Leona Pusey-Rigg is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who offers steady, practical support for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, and life transitions. She writes simply and directly, and aims to build a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship that helps people make real changes. She acknowledges how hard it is to ask for help and meets each person with compassion and validation.

With 15 years of experience as an LCSW, she draws on a variety of therapeutic tools to match each person's needs. Sessions focus on identifying strengths, clarifying goals, and working step by step toward better day-to-day functioning. The approach is collaborative - the person and therapist set the pace and priorities together.

Her background includes work with mood disorders, caregiving stress, chronic illness and disability, aging and geriatric concerns, immigration issues, workplace problems, and grief and end-of-life situations. She also addresses communication problems, isolation, anger, self-esteem, and coping after disaster or domestic violence.

Leona uses methods such as acceptance and commitment techniques, client-centered work, cognitive behavioral tools, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing in sessions. These are used as practical exercises rather than labels, and are selected to fit the goals people bring.

Therapy is offered from Florida and conducted primarily by live video, with occasional telephone-only sessions. To begin, a simple matching questionnaire and scheduling step gets the process started.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts without getting stuck in them and then choose actions that match their values. It can help with anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on changing patterns of thinking and behavior through practical exercises and skills that reduce symptoms and improve daily routines. Client-centered therapy centers the conversation on the person's experience, offering empathy and respect so people can discover their own solutions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Leona will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their goals, comfort, and pace. She adjusts techniques over time as needs change and as people notice what helps most.

Online therapy can make it easier to schedule regular sessions and keep momentum between appointments. Since Leona provides live video sessions with occasional telephone-only meetings, confirm current session options when you book. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, while phone check-ins can be shorter or fit a busy day without needing to be on camera. These options are practical ways to fit therapy into everyday life.