Erin K. Leonard, LCSW, PhD
Psychologist | Psychotherapy
230 East Day Road Mishawaka Indiana, 46530About
Erin K. Leonard, LCSW, PhD, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who attends to patients as Psychotherapist at Recore Counseling, her private practice, in Mishawaka, Indiana, which she joined in 2005. She is the author of three books, i.e., The Battle against Juvenile Bullying: The Plague of Child and Teen Bullying in the Schools and How to Stop It (2014), Emotional Terrorism: Breaking the Chains of a Toxic Relationship (2014), Adolescents with HIV: Attachment, Depression and Adherence in Adolescents with HIV (2008), Loving Well, The Key to Satisfying and Joyful Relationships, which received the Bronze Living Now Award in 2016. Dr. Leonard has an impressive professional journey that spans many years and her areas of expertise cover all facets of psychotherapy. Dr. Leonard has appeared on WGN and FOX affiliates in Dallas, Boston, Memphis, Atlanta and Phoenix and contributed a series of articles on depression and anxiety to magazines, including most recently to Health Magazine. Dr. Leonard is also an author for Parenting, and a keynote speaker and was a 2018 Presenter for the Institute of Clinical Social Work.
Education and Training
University of Iowa Bachelor Degree 0
University of Michigan Master's Degree 0
The Institute for Clinical Social Work doctorate degree 0
Provider Details
Erin K. Leonard, LCSW, PhD's Expert Contributions
The Most Important Parenting Information You Will Ever Read
Every school in the United States is battling a bullying epidemic. The compilation of nationwide surveys completed since 1986, indicate an ever-growing trend of entitlement ingrained in America’s youth (Reuters 2010). Why? It is the result of parents continually and constantly confusing...
When Your Adolescent Patient Cuts
Cutting is a terrifying, but ever present phenomenon plaguing adolescents. Two in ten teenagers cut, and almost 46% of teenagers engage in some type of self- harm. As doctors, therapists, parents, and teachers we are baffled. This act of mutilation does not make sense to us. After all, our youth is...
How to Help Your Kid Conquer Feelings of Disappointment
Kenny is a silly, skinny, blue-eyed, 9-year-old boy, who barely tips the scales at 48 pounds. “I can practically spit through him,” my dad says on a regular basis.Although Kenny showed promise on the rec league baseball field last spring, his performance didn’t cause anyone to spill their...
What You Should Know About Adolescent Cutting
Cutting is a terrifying and serious epidemic plaguing adolescents. Recent studies have found that one-third to one-half of adolescents in the US have engaged in some type of self-injurious behavior.As a psychotherapist who specializes in treating teens who self-harm, I have been baffled by this for...
How To Stregthen A Child's Character Through Empathy
Every school in the United States is battling a bullying epidemic. The compilation of nationwide surveys completed since 1986 indicate an ever growing trend of entitlement ingrained in America’s youth (Reuters 2010).Why? It is the result of parents who continually confuse sympathy with empathy....
Is bipolar disorder treatable?
Hi! Yes. Bipolar disorder is manageable w therapy and medicines. There is a chance with the correct therapies that it can be resolved. READ MORE
Can one start showing symptoms of ADHD as an adult?
Yes. Many people are not diagnosed until adulthood. READ MORE
Are feelings like depression and jealousy normal or do they need to be treated?
Yes. Jealousy is a normal and common human emotion. As long as you recognize it and have insight to it, you are healthy. It's people who feel jealousy, but don't recognize it, and act to sabotage the person they are jealous of. It sounds like you are alright- a bit down, but okay. READ MORE
What causes negative thoughts in a person?
Quite a few things can cause negative thoughts: Stress, lack of empathy or emotional closeness in your life, dissatisfaction with work or an important relationship, or not enough fun and laughter in your life. READ MORE
What causes my brain to think negatively most of the time?
Hi! 3 suggestions: 1) Do either yoga, martial arts, or tai chi once a day 2) Get outside once a day 3) Find something to nurture 4) Start a hobby If those don’t help, get to therapy; there might be an old childhood wound that has been re-opened because of something in your adult life. READ MORE
My husband is recovering from a stroke but is getting depressed. How should I help him?
Hi! I would play pleasant music for him as much as possible. Also, show him things that will make him laugh, for example, funny movies or TV shows. You can also hire a yoga instructor to come to the house and help him do the yoga his body will allow him to do. Also, if you have a dog or cat, make sure he has contact with them. Pet therapy does wonders. Let me know if those tips help. READ MORE
For how long does a course of treatment for depression normally last?
Hi! The length of treatment depends on multiple factors. How intense are his symptoms? Is it situational depression? Is it a developmental issue which is causing the depression? Has he experienced a traumatic event recently or any additional losses? Does he have a close relationship with you? READ MORE
How important is having friends?
Hi! Yes. Social connections are Important. Her social isolation may be indicative of something else. For example, bullying or a social anxiety issue. Email me at ekleonard11@icloud.com READ MORE
Areas of expertise and specialization
Awards
- The Battle against Juvenile Bullying: The Plague of Child and Teen Bullying in the Schools and How to Stop It.
What do you attribute your success to?
- Being extremely empathetic, having great professors and her knowledge of child development helps her to look at cases through a more humanitarian lens and is able to identify early trauma.
Hobbies / Sports
- Tennis
Favorite professional publications
- Ghosts in the Nursery- Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Erin K. Leonard, LCSW, PhD's Practice location
Mishawaka, IN 46545Get Direction
Erin K. Leonard, LCSW, PhD's reviews
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Get to know Psychotherapist Dr. Erin K. Leonard, who serves patients in the Michiana area.
Dr. Leonard is a psychotherapist, award-winning author, keynote speaker, TV contributor, and weekly blogger for Psychology Today. For more than 20 years, she has helped her clients recover their well-being and improve their mental health.
With years of training and a clear understanding of what goes into providing a compassionate approach to psychotherapy, Dr. Leonard provides unique counseling and therapeutic services in the Michiana area. Her extensive training and wealth of experience ensure her clients experience improvement quickly. She specializes in individual, couples, and family therapy. However, her practice is a safe and open space for anyone with the need to be heard, understood, and treated.
In addition to managing a successful private practice, Dr. Leonard is also very active increasing her knowledge and delivering her message across a variety of outlets. She attributes her success to being extremely empathetic, having great professors, as well as being knowledgeable of child development, which helps her to look at cases through a more humanitarian lens and to be able to identify early trauma.
Pertaining to her educational background, she graduated from the University of Iowa with her Bachelor of Arts degree. She then proceeded on to the University of Michigan, where she graduated with her Master’s degree. Finally, she received her Doctorate degree at The Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago, Illinois.
Among her many accomplishments as a national expert on psychotherapy, Dr. Leonard is the author of five books: How to Raise a Secure Child, Parenting with Empathy (2018); Loving Well: The Key to Satisfying and Joyful Relationships (2016); The Battle Against Juvenile Bullying: The Plague of Child and Teen Bullying in the Schools and How to Stop It (2014); Emotional Terrorism: Breaking the Chains of a Toxic Relationship (2014); and Adolescents with HIV: Attachment, Depression and Adherence in Adolescents with HIV (2008). She has also appeared on WGN and FOX affiliates in Dallas, Boston, Memphis, Atlanta, and Phoenix, as well as contributed a series of articles on depression and anxiety to magazines.
Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior and overcome problems in desired ways. Psychotherapists work with clients who are affected by difficulties such as depression, phobias, stress, anxiety, emotional and relationship problems, physical or psychosomatic disorders, and behavioural problems.
When Dr. Leonard is not writing, helping people get better or speaking in the media or other organizations, she loves to spend time with her two children, Mary and Kenny. Enjoying the great outdoors, they love to go ice skating and rock climbing.
Recommended Articles
- Behavioral and Emotional Meltdowns in Children with Autism
Parents of children with autism sometimes need to deal with physical and/or emotional outbursts. They could be out-of-control aggressive episodes which include screaming, shouting and crying. They may escalate into kicking, lashing out, and even biting.These episodes are not ‘temper tantrums’,...
- Binge Eating Disorder: Get the Facts
Individuals suffering from binge eating disorder (B.E.D) often eat excessively. They are not able to control the intake of food when the binges kick in. People with this disorder are distinct from bulimia and anorexia victims in that the former don’t vomit, eat little quantities of particular...
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- Taming Your Child's Temper Tantrum
Temper TantrumsTemper tantrums have been defined by experts as an unplanned display of anger or emotions by children. Children will often whine, scream, or cry during a tantrum. They may hold their breath or widely swing their arms and legs. Children between the ages of one and four experience the...
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- How Depression Leads to COPD Medication Non-Adherence
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