HOMETOWN L I V ING AT ITS BEST 105
even used trash to make collages one
semester,” said Leigh-Anne. “Some of
the art was even displayed at the art
gallery in Elements Bistro and Grill in
downtown Lyons.”
In 2016, she opened Leigh-Anne
White and Company in Vidalia.
Whether working with women and/or
children in domestic violence shelters,
individuals with mental illness,
developmental disabilities and/or
addiction challenges, or in a Christian
residential home with troubled youth,
Leigh-Anne’s understanding and
abilities have developed with each
experience. And in each place, she has
realized the benefits of art and music in
therapy.
At Leigh-Anne White
and Company, “Art, Play, and
Relaxation Therapy are used in a
variety of ways with all ages as well
as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy,
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,
and Family Systems Therapy.”
Counseling services include:
Individual Therapy, Art/Play
Therapy, Relationship Therapy,
Family Therapy, Psychodrama
Group, Group Therapy, Grief/
Trauma/Loss Therapy, and
Substance Abuse/ Addictive
Disease.
Simply put, that means help
when you’re hurting. Whatever
the issue: disappointment, anger,
bitterness, abuse, trauma, ADHD,
depression, anxiety, grief, and/or
loss, Leigh-Anne and her associate
Maggie Hoffman, a licensed
marriage and family therapist, are
“equipped to help you through any
struggle that life might bring your
way” (lawhite.net).
“Sometimes we have clients
who see a psychiatrist for
medication management, but they
don’t always provide therapeutic
or counseling services and will
refer them to us,” said Leigh-Anne.
“I see a lot of results when that
is the case, but there are families
who don’t want their child on
medication.” She honors that
decision, and creates a treatment
plan with that in mind.
Trauma is a word thrown
around so much these days. It’s like
hearing the word migraine thrown
around by people who might have had
a bad headache. “People experience
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD may have flashbacks, trouble
sleeping, difficulty concentrating at
work or school. There are children who
go through unimaginable pain with
the loss of a parent. Sometimes the
circumstances are pretty harsh, such
as death by murder and with sexual
abuse.”
On a professional level, Leigh-Anne
has continued to expand her knowledge
as new developments in counseling
are made. In 2018, she completed an
intensive year-long training called
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy. “Emory University provided
the training through a grant from the
Department of Justice and the Child
Advocacy Program,” she said. In 2019,
Maggie also completed the course.
Continuing education is important
for Leigh-Anne in every aspect of
therapy. In addition to the exploratory
classes on art and therapy she received
in college, she has taken educational
classes, workshops, and retreats on
the use of art in trauma. Leigh-Anne
is presently receiving private art
lessons from a professional artist. She
continues to use both art and music
with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy,
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and
/(lawhite.net