Izy Leighton (she/her)

My Background

Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked for four years in an inpatient treatment setting for kids and teens struggling with their safety, supporting them with emotion regulation, trauma recovery, and family dynamics issues. I left this position to complete my Master's degree in Marriage, Couples, and Family Therapy at Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling, where I earned an additional specialization in Sex Therapy. Since then I have worked with diverse populations in an array of settings - including a community counseling center, a family medical clinic, and a group practice specializing in couples and sex therapy - before starting my own practice, where I provide compassionate trauma-informed therapy for individuals and relationships.

My Approach to Helping

Though I have valuable experience and knowledge to share with my clients, I pointedly do not identify as an expert and do not claim to have all the answers. I recognize my clients' innate wisdom and seek to honor their agency and intuition throughout the therapeutic process. I approach therapy as an active collaborator, a curious explorer, and a loving witness. I believe it's critical to "zoom out" and consider the contexts in which my clients' concerns occur, exploring the impacts of trauma, attachment, culture, and oppression. My therapeutic style is authentic and warm, though I will gently challenge my clients to approach their growing edges and take risks that support their healing. I believe a strong therapeutic relationship is a cornerstone of transformative therapy and a key change agent in itself; I continually invest in this relationship to provide my clients with reparative emotional experiences and support them in moving toward secure attachment with themselves and others.