Leona Pusey-Rigg

Leona Pusey-Rigg is a licensed clinical social worker who focuses on helping people manage anger, stress, anxiety, and mood concerns. She speaks plainly and works to build a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship that makes it easier to talk through difficult feelings. Her approach encourages clients to use their own strengths while moving toward clearer goals and better day-to-day functioning.

Leona draws on 15 years as an LCSW in Florida and a longer span of social work experience overall. She combines practical strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy with client-centered listening. Mindfulness and acceptance skills are used to reduce reactivity and increase calm. Motivational interviewing helps people find their own reasons to change.

Sessions begin by identifying what matters most to the client and creating a straightforward plan. Leona emphasizes small, doable steps so progress feels tangible. She pays attention to how life events, grief, health, and caregiving pressures affect mood and behavior.

Her work covers common concerns such as depression, relationship and family strain, sleep problems, parenting challenges, career stress, and coping with trauma or loss. She also supports people dealing with chronic illness, caregiver stress, aging issues, immigration-related stress, and feelings of isolation.

Leona offers live video sessions and occasional telephone meetings. Prospective clients should confirm current session options before booking and can expect a collaborative process to set realistic goals.

How these approaches guide online work

Leona uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting driven by them, and to move toward actions that matter. That approach can be useful for anger, anxiety, and grieving when old reactions get in the way of daily life.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thinking and test new behaviors. CBT offers practical steps for changing patterns that keep stress and mood problems going, such as sleep disruption or anger outbursts.

Finding the right approach is a shared task. The therapist will listen to your goals, try different strategies, and prioritize the methods that fit your needs and preferences. Work is collaborative and adjusted as progress is tracked.

Leona provides live video sessions and occasional telephone meetings, and she asks clients to confirm available formats before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow a shorter check-in when time is limited, or avoid travel to an office. Licensed professionals can still use in-session exercises, mindfulness practice, and behavioral homework to support change when working remotely.